Fake Love
by Sweetest Wishes
Summary: It all started by being forced into a fake relationship, strictly for business purposes. But when Japan's two hottest models accidentally fall in love with the one person they despise most, all hell breaks loose. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
1. Chapter 1

**Fake Love**

_Sometimes I believe that some people are better at love than others, and sometimes I believe that everyone is faking it._

_-Nora Ephron_

**Chapter One: The Business Deal**

The rain came down hard, pattering on the asphalt road. The clouds were dark and heavy, hovering up in the sky. Mikan's clothes were soaked as she strapped her legs around Natsume's wet waist, his hands supporting her. Water droplets rolled down their cheeks and streamed down strands of hair. Her arms wrapped around his neck and their lips met with a hot kiss in this chilly summer rain.

"I'm out of frames! That's a wrap!" the photographer yelled aloud. He stood up from his crouched position and walked over to the dry tent.

As everyone else dispersed, Natsume lazily let down his arms, causing Mikan to slip down his body and barely catch herself with her bare feet.

"Watch it, asshole!" She said as she staggered upright. "Man, I really liked this shirt a half an hour ago." She shook her head in disapproval.

"Oh shut it." Natsume ran a hand through his drenched, black hair. He started to walk towards the tent himself until, from behind, Mikan slammed shoulders with him and strutted in front to get there first.

"Bitch," Natsume said without interest and Mikan only thrusted a middle finger up over her head.

------

_Rrrring._

Natsume scratched his head through his beautiful, messy hair and rolled around in the sheets. When the annoying ringing continued, he finally picked up the home phone.

"Oi. Don't call me when I'm trying to sleep." He rubbed his weary eyes.

"How'd you know it was me?" The voice from the opposite line said in surprise.

"Caller I.D. dumbass."

"Oh, right. Well I'm on my way over. I'll be there in like twenty minutes. So please put some clothes on or make any girls leave before I get there." He stressed the 'please' when he spoke.

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright."

" 'Kay. And don't go back to be-" He hung up the phone before his friend finished speaking.

When he glanced over at the clock, he saw that it read 1:30. The lateness in the day gave him the motivation to get up. He threw on a pair of dark denim jeans but carelessly ignored a shirt. Then he moped from his bedroom into the stainless steel kitchen. He reached a hand into the refrigerator and drank half a milk carton before retreating to the luxurious T.V. room, connected by open archways.

He switched on his XBOX360 and grabbed a controller, lounging back on the red sofa facing the plasma 60'' screen. He started to play some online game when the front door opened with jingling keys.

"Hey buddy!" Ruka Nogi, a sophisticated blue-eyed blonde guy said to his lazy pal. "Ah, well, I see you at least put some pants on this time."

Natsume nodded his head in acknowledgement but kept his main focus on the game in front of him, his hands clicking away. Ruka sat down next to him.

"Did I have any mail?" Natsume asked, as if it was Ruka's job to check.

"Um, yeah. I put it on the counter."

"Well?"

"Nothing important. Just your monthly salary and some letters requesting your appearance."

"Psh. So, what's on task for today?"

"Well, some of us have been up working since 8 this morning, but you have another photo shoot at 3."

"Whatever." Natsume bit his lip as his hands swerved out of control, his game very intense right about then.

"Well, I gotta run, but please be on time. I don't want your dad getting pissed at both of us again."

"Whatever."

With an annoyed face, Ruka stood up and headed out the front door, slamming it shut.

"Fuckin' bachelor. He can afford to blow everything off…" Ruka placed a pair of dark shades over his vibrant blue eyes, ruffling his blonde hair in the wind as he climbed into his silver Ferrari. Then he sped off down the long driveway.

-----

_Beep beep beep._

Mikan rotated onto her stomach to switch off the alarm clock that woke her. She widened her eyes at the 2:00 that stared back at her. Then she slid the brown ringlets of soft hair off her face. She threw her covers off her body and stood with a satin swaying nightgown. She waltzed over to her desk table where she kept her phone and dialed a number.

"What time do I have to come in?"

"Please be here around 3ish. We don't want your mother having a tantrum again."

"Agreed. I'll be there on time. Promise. Bye."

She flipped it closed and pranced into the shower. After a half an hour she came back out and changed into a simple dress and strappy flats. There was no point in dressing up if the beauticians and clothes designers would just dress her down. She walked into the kitchen and made herself a healthy fruit smoothie, minus the sugar.

She grabbed her most recently bought purse and headed out the door of her apartment flat at the very top of the complex. She strode into the blinking elevator with her lips pursing a straw, sipping up smoothie. When the lobby elevator doors opened, Mikan strutted out with a bright smile, tossing the empty cup into a nearby trashcan. Within seconds, the valet brought forth her black Bentley, which she hopped into and sped off in.

-----

"I'm here," Mikan said as she walked onto the photo set. The hair stylists grabbed her and pulled her along.

When the process of make-up and hair was half way through, a woman in a flattering business suit strode in. Hotaru Imai, a purple-eyed black-haired beauty sat down near Mikan.

"Okay. I'm glad you're here. So today's shoot is for Sakura Industries' newest athletic clothing line. And it says you'll be shooting with Hyuuga Corporation's Natsume Hyuuga."

"Ugh. Are you serious? I hate that son of a bi-"

"Language." Hotaru cut in.

"Guy. I hate that guy."

"You know him?" Hotaru flipped through her clipboard.

"Sorta. I worked with him for my last shoot. You know: the rain one. Whatever that one was for."

"Oh, well sorry. This is just what your mother told me to do. I guess she thinks you two have chemistry."

"Are you kidding? We are the exact opposite of chemistry. We are like an atomic explosion."

"Well your mother said that that last photo shoot boosted the sales on the diamond necklaces, which is what that romantic rain one was for. So, whatever she says goes."

"Fine."

"Done!" The main woman styling her hair said. She swiveled the chair to face the mirror and Mikan liked what she saw. Her hair was lusciously straightened out.

"To wardrobe!" Hotaru pulled her out of the room, but struggled due to Mikan's inability to stop looking at herself.

When she was finally away, another woman stripped her clothes off of her and helped her into a very tight sports bra and small running shorts.

"You look great. Now let's go to the set." Hotaru insisted, her pinstripe pants flapping at her slick high heels.

"Hey, Hotaru. Do you want to get something to eat tonight?"

As they continued to talk, a man came and spray-tanned her entire body to an elegant glow.

"Um. I suppose. I'll have to check my schedule and with your mother."

"Oh I'm sure she'll agree. You've been working not stop ever since summer started."

"Okay. But let's make it through this shoot first."

As if on cue, another man came and dragged her towards the actual set of a tennis court. He spritzed her face, hairline, neck, and body with water, creating the illusion of seductive sweat drops.

Mikan stood in place, almost ready to get set up, when a crowd of commotion came towards her.

A black-haired guy was in the center wearing only long athletic shorts and expensive tennis shoes. A blonde guy walked beside him, apparently scolding him, and several others ran about ruffling his hair, spray-tanning his face and bare chest, and spritzing him with water as well, to the point that he very much resembled Mikan.

When Natsume escaped the crowd he turned to his best friend. "Calm down. I made it right on time."

Then he walked over to the photographers and Mikan soon followed. When he saw her he smirked.

"You again? How obnoxious."

"I feel exactly the same way." She said with raised eyebrows.

"Okay. Natsume, Mikan. Let's start." A props man handed them each a tennis racket.

"Okay. So this shoot is for athletic wear, particularly tennis wear. So just get out there, strike a pose, and look sexy."

Mikan smiled. "Sexy is my specialty." Natsume rolled his eyes. "I doubt that."

They walked onto the fake court and the lights were dimmed, a fan placed in the proper angle. As if they had done this shoot a million times, Natsume walked to the center and held his racket at his side with a very 'sweaty' and luring face staring at the camera. Mikan simply strode to his other side, straddling her legs over one of his stanced ones, and placed her palm on his glistening chest. Her other arm simply held the racket behind him. She flipped her hair over her far shoulder and let her bare tummy run up against Natsume's side. Then Natsume placed his dangling hand on her tight little butt, the shorts rolled up almost her entire thighs. For the final touch, she turned her face towards the camera as well and her brown eyes gave a piercing look.

The camera man smiled widely and immediately snapped away. "I'm loving this! This is great! Keep it up guys! You are looking sexy all over the place!"

Behind him, Hotaru sat in her designated chair with her pinstripe suit and elegant short hair. She watched proudly as her best friend showed off her stuff. Across the set, Ruka also sat in his own chair, wearing his own sleek suit. As he watched his own best friend, he gabbed away on his phone.

"This is hot! I can feel my blood boiling!" the photographer continued to jump all around.

In the back of her mind, however, Mikan thought totally different thoughts, almost unaware of what she was doing. _I wonder if Ramuné will have the dessert I like tonight. They usually run out of the custard cake pretty fast._

Also oblivious to the work he was doing, Natsume thought completely separate thoughts s well. _I can't wait to play Final Fantasy tonight; I finally know how to beat the last boss. Ruka's gonna be so jealous!_

-----

"Out of frames! That's a wrap!" The photographer yelled. Everyone cleared to develop their pictures.

Mikan quickly snatched her hand off his fake-tanned chest and pushed his own hand off her butt. She jumped a foot away until she was clearly out of reach. "That was a nice touch there; very professional. But still, please keep your grubby hands off my body parts."

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Fine by me. Just get yours off my chest. I don't want to touch you just as much as you don't want to touch me. Get over yourself."

Mikan spit out her tongue and hugged Hotaru as she walked on set.

"That was great Mikan! You looked so pretty out there."

"Thanks!" Mikan smiled.

Just then a deep voice called out, "Natsume! Come over here." A very nicely dressed man waved a hand over to where Ruka stood.

"Mikan, darling, you, too." A female voice called nearby.

The three walked over to see Mr. Hyuuga, head of Hyuuga Corporation, and Mrs. Sakura, head of Sakura Industries, the two leading male and female clothing and accessory lines respectively.

"What's up?" Mikan said cheerily, and then winced when Natsume accidently brushed up against her. She whispered so only he could hear, "Don't touch me, creep!"

"Well, we have just negotiated a very big business deal."

"Yes, something that will improve both our businesses tremendously."

"What is it?" Natsume said impatiently, not liking surprises. From behind his father, Natsume saw Ruka making signals at him, indicating he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

"Oh yeah…" Hotaru shook her head, also indicating this was not such good news after all.

"Huh?" Mikan said, scared of what she might hear next.

"Well, we have decided that you and Natsume Hyuuga right here are going to pretend to be a couple in public. That way, you two will become very popular, your photo shoots will be even more desired by every magazine, and sales will increase!"

The two C.E.O.s smiled as if this was the greatest idea they had ever thought of.

"What?!" Natsume yelled. "Me? Go out with her?! Nuh-uh."

"There is no way you can do that! I would never go out with such a jackass!"

"Language," Hotaru muttered.

"Sorry. But definitely no!!"

Mrs. Sakura frowned. "Mikan, dear. This is for our own benefit. With such a connection to Hyuuga Corporation, business will boom. We'll be even more successful than we ever thought."

"No, mom! I hate him!" She pointed a thin finger at the boy standing next to her, also in total disapproval.

Mrs. Sakura now spoke very sternly, "You will do as you are told, Mikan, or you won't have a job at all."

"You can't fire me; I'm the industry's best female model!" She rebutted.

"There are thousands who would love to fill your shoes. So agree with me or you're out."

Mikan buried her head in her hands.

Mr. Hyuuga had been arguing all the same things. "Yes or no, son?"

Natsume shook his head angrily. "Fine."

Mikan looked up. "Fine?!"

"Fine." Natsume then strode off with a vast temper.

"No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mikan fell to her knees as Hotaru tried to comfort her. Mr. Hyuuga and Mrs. Sakura merely shook hands and walked away.

Ruka let out a light laugh. "Oh, this is gonna be good."

-----

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	2. Chapter 2

**Fake Love**

_Sometimes I believe that some people are better at love than others, and sometimes I believe that everyone is faking it._

_-Nora Ephron_

**Chapter Two: First Day on the 'Job'**

"I don't know, take her to dinner or something. Just get recognized as a couple by the paparazzi as soon as possible. For some reason, your dad just really wants this to work," Ruka said while updating Natsume's palm pilot calendar.

"Whatever," Natsume muttered through a hole in the cushion his face was enclosed in, while a strong lady massaged his bare back.

Ruka rolled his eyes at Natsume's lack of attention. "'Kay well, I've gotta run. But please don't screw this up. My job's on the line."

With that, he hastily closed the door while slipping on his cool, dark shades. "Lazy ass son of a bitch."

He smelled the air of Hyuuga Corporation's main lobby. Now that was a business: the many receptionists chatting away on their headset phones and typing quickly at their computers; the various business men and women going in and out of conference rooms and up and down in the elevators. He truly loved working there.

Just then, a face caught his attention amongst all the bustling people. She wore a sleek black business suit and had short, chic black hair that shined in the light of the many windows.

Ruka adjusted his own expensive suit, checked his shades, ruffled his blonde hair, and made his way over to her, just before she reached the front desk.

"Hey, gorgeous. Can I help you with something?" He flashed an adorable smile.

Hotaru turned her purple eyes towards him. "No."

She tried to maneuver around him but he wouldn't budge.

"C'mon. Tell me what you need and I'll help you out."

Her purple stiletto heel tapped the marble floor repeatedly.

"I need all the available background information on Natsume Hyuuga." She folded her arms annoyed.

"Well you're in luck, hot stuff, because I just happen to be his right hand man. Why don't we discuss it over some lunch?"

Hotaru glanced up at the ceiling. "Um, no."

"Ah, come on. You'll learn anything you want to know and I'll get the privilege of dining with such an attractive woman."

Hotaru's face remained completely poised, as if she was used to being flattered by handsome men.

"Sorry, I can't."

Ruka smirked unconvinced. "Why not?"

"I have work to do."

"Okay, okay. At least tell me your name and business."

She now faced him straight on. "Hotaru Imai, Sakura Industries."

Ruka's face lit up. "Oh! You must be um, Mikan Sakura's personal assistant. I thought I'd seen you before."

"Mhm. Well, since my best friend now has to pretend to date your client, I'd prefer to know everything I can about Hyuuga."

"Oh, right, right. That whole ordeal. I guess this means you and I'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"Joy." She now started to tap her fingers against her suit sleeve.

"Well, why don't you come on up with me to my office and I'll get you his file."

With that, he led her over to the gold elevator doors.

-----

"Ugh. Ruka, this is so stupid. Why should I have to pretend to like someone like her?" Natsume paced around his exclusive pad, nearly yelling at his friend on the other line.

"Well, she actually has an impressive résumé. I think this could be pretty easy."

"Yeah, well the main point is that I can't date anyone _I_ actually like."

"Calm down, calm down. You only have to fake it in public."

"Ugh. That's bad enough."

"Oh get over yourself. Okay, so she's 20 years old, only a year younger than you, and the only child of the C.E.O. of Sakura Industries."

"Yeah, yeah, like I care." Natsume sat down on his red sofa, shirtless once again.

"Her number is 761-2046. Call her and take her out tonight or something. You need to get a move on or your dad will throw a fit."

"Whatever." He hung up the phone abruptly and dialed the mentioned number. He threw his arm over his face and tilted his head back.

_Rrring._

"Mikan Sakura's phone. May I take a message?" Hotaru's voice answered.

"Tell her we're going out to dinner. I'll pick her up at seven. Tell her not to make me wait."

"Agreed." Hotaru hung up the phone before he could.

Then he tossed the phone against the wall, wishing that would put an end to this nightmare.

-----

Natsume's fire red Twin Turbo pulled up at her apartment complex. He wore nice black pants and a black sports coat, but only a black t-shirt under that. His hair was messed up as usual and his crimson eyes were covered by darker shades than Ruka's.

Any girls passing by, coming out of or going into the lobby couldn't take their eyes off of him, but he ignored the attention.

Just then, Mikan came out the front door, her hair lying down her back, wearing a short pink dress and pink high heels. The valet men simply stared as she walked by.

It was only natural for the number one male and female models in Japan to look dashing on their nights out.

A man opened the door for her and she climbed in the red hot sports car. Barely a second after the door was closed, Natsume sped off onto the busy street.

Once they were out on the road Natsume muttered, "Took you long enough, princess."

"Can it. If I'm going to be put in all the magazines with the likes of you, I have to look fashionable."

They both made disgusted faces at the other but then plastered on smiles when they came to the restaurant they had put a reservation in for.

Natsume climbed out, not bothering to help Mikan, and handed the keys to the valet. When they walked out, however, they transformed into two completely different people, all for the sake of publicity.

The restaurant they were going to, Seiteki, was only but the hottest place around. Only the most exclusive people in the city could get in, thus, photographers from all the tabloids lined the walk way in case someone of real importance showed up.

Natsume threw his arm around Mikan's waist, holding her very tightly. He was actually hurting her on purpose, but she had to fake a smile anyway. She placed her own arms around his waist as well, the ultimate couple making their first debut.

_Snap! Snap! Snap!_

The multiple cameras took multiple pictures as they strutted by. Finally they were inside, but not without the photographers taking some last minute shots.

"Ugh. That was just horrible," Mikan whispered now, as all eyes inside were on them, too.

"Let's just get this over with," Natsume smirked.

They were seated at one of the back tables, purposely chosen by them next to a huge window. Some photographers managed to sneak around back and continued to snap away.

Sitting across from each other, Natsume and Mikan held hands across the table top, to keep up the charade.

"Do I actually have to talk to you?" Mikan wondered aloud.

"I don't know. I guess if we don't, it'd seem too staged." Natsume bit on a breadstick.

"Ugh." She started to spit out her tongue but Natsume glared at her hard.

"Don't stop smiling. Or they'll get suspicious," He spoke very seriously.

She turned away from the cameras to roll her eyes.

"So tell me about your personal assistant, since obviously nothing about you is interesting." She smiled.

Through fake admiration he replied, "Fine. His name is Ruka Nogi. He's been by best friend since we were really little. When I started modeling for my dad's company, he hired Ruka as my assistant, since he was better at running my life than I was. And now he loves his job, probably all the perks he gets, and basically will do anything to keep it, such as make me come on a date with you."

"Oh, believe me, this is not a date." Mikan's eyes twinkled with hatred, but the cameras only caught awe.

"Tell me about yours, then." Natsume kept up pretend interest.

"'Kay. Hotaru Imai is her name. She's also my best friend and organizer of my everyday activities. My mom just adores her determination and hard work, so there's no way she'd get fired. She basically plans everything out for me. I personally think she should be a model. She's so beautiful, but she says she prefers taking photos to being in them. Maybe she'll become a photographer some day."

"Great," Natsume exaggerated.

The two remained quiet for a long time, too ignorant to talk about the other. Finally Natsume turned to her.

"Can we just leave, now?"

Mikan was taken aback, even if it was a fake date. "But we haven't even ordered our food yet."

"So? This sucks. I absolutely hate this. I would so much rather play my XBOX at home."

"Excuse me. Don't act like I want to be here. I despise you. I'd much rather get a manicure and pedicure."

"Fine. Then let's go." Natsume was nearly begging her.

"But what about our parents? I know for sure my mother will kill me if this business plan fails."

"Yeah, but it's only the first date. We can make up better stuff later. For now I'm just bored."

They continued to argue in low tones and with fake smiles on their faces. "Excuse me. Why must you always act like you're the only one who hates this?"

"Sorry. C'mon." With that, he tugged her to her feet, still clenching her hand, and dragged her to the door.

The paparazzi ran around the building in order to catch them at their departure. The couple dashed out the door and as soon as the valet brought forth his car, they hopped in, immediately let go of each other, and sped off.

"Whew! Glad that's over!" Mikan began to immediately sanitize her hand. Natsume took some as well, both sickened by the other.

"Yeah, honestly."

-----

The next morning, Mr. Hyuuga and Mrs. Sakura requested their children's presence in a meeting at Hyuuga Corp. When the children sat down, the C.E.O.s tossed several tabloids onto the desktop.

"Look at those," Mrs. Sakura said plainly.

Without bothering to pick them up, Natsume tried to explain. "I'm sorry. We failed. It was just so terrible, we couldn't help it. We had to leave."

"Son,' Mr. Hyuuga said. "That was the best performance I've ever seen!"

Mikan and Natsume both raised confused eyebrows.

"Read the article."

_**Japan's Most Desirable**_

_Just last night, on June fifteenth, Hyuuga Corporation's very own Natsume Hyuuga, the company's hottest male model, and Sakura Industries' Mikan Sakura, the company's hottest female model, were spotted at exclusive restaurant Seiteki. Arms wrapped around waists, hand holding over the dinner table. What could this possibly mean? It means that the two most desirable people in Japan are now a couple!! Seen wearing clothing from their very own lines, they sure looked modish. And then, shortly after sitting, the two made a mad dash for the car, leaving before they even took an order. Where were they going? No one knows, but Hyuuga's red Twin Turbo seemed to be dashing off somewhere exciting! We'll have to keep our eyes peeled for this trendy twosome!_

_**Current Couples**_

_Hot news: Mikan Sakura, number one female model in Japan, and Natsume Hyuuga, number one male model in Japan, are an item!! Sorry ladies and gents, but there's just no room for competition. What could be hotter than this?! Both of them were wearing clothes from their respective companies' clothing lines, a definite need for anyone who wants to look fab out on the town. And then their daring escape to be alone?! How juicy! We'll keep you up-to-the-minute on this couple!_

"Um. I don't get it," Mikan blurted out, scratching her head with her recently manicured fingernails.

Her mother laughed. "Honey, this is great! You guys are in all the magazines and not a single one forgot to mention where your trendy clothes came from. We'll be raking in customers!"

"Yes, yes," Mr. Hyuuga began. "And that stunt you pulled by leaving early? Who cares the real reason! Everyone thinks you guys were sneaking off for privacy. This'll only make the paparazzi even crazier about you two."

Natsume and Mikan slowly nodded their heads. "Okay…if you say so…"

"Well. I have to hurry to another board meeting, but keep up the good work, Mikan, darling. By the way, I cancelled your photo shoot today. We've decided that from now on, you two will only model with each other. With anyone else you'd just be blah. But together, you'd make the public go mad!"

After that last comment, the parents left the board room, leaving the 'couple' in their seats.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Mikan repeatedly punched her chair.

Natsume smirked. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'll tell you what's wrong with me. It's you! First, I had to meet you! Next, I had to pretend to date you! Now, I can only model with you! This is so awful!" Mikan pouted noisily. "And that guy I was supposed to model with today is really hot!" She screeched with self-pity.

"Oh, shut up. You won't ever model with anyone hotter than me." He smirked again.

Mikan's mouth fell open. "You?! You aren't hot. Sure, the public thinks you are, but you're so not! You're probably the most hideous human being I've ever laid eyes on!"

"At least I'm not a cow," Natsume deadpanned.

Mikan blew up with rage. "Ahhhhh!! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

Natsume only laughed as he got up to leave.

"And where do you think you're going?" Pathetic tears streamed down Mikan's cheeks.

"It doesn't concern you." He put his hands in his pockets as he walked through the doorway. "Old hag."

Mikan's eyes widened with anger. "Oh! My! God! I hate you!"

-----

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	3. Chapter 3

**Fake Love**

_Sometimes I believe that some people are better at love than others, and sometimes I believe that everyone is faking it._

_-Nora Ephron_

**Chapter Three: Full of Ourselves**

"Sakura, Mikan." She said as she filed her so-two-days-ago nails. She stood at the curb in her flip flops, also wearing a short yet flowy skirt and a tube top. Her hair was done up into a high pony tail on top of her head, which would have looked silly on anyone else. The valet rushed to get her car back from the garage.

"Here you here, Ms. Sakura. Have a nice day." An older man said, shutting the door behind her.

"Mhm." She dropped her huge, white sunglasses over her eyes and sped off in her black Bentley.

She pulled into the mediocre parking lot of the local grocery store and turned off the revving engine. Just before she stepped out, her phone jiggled in her purse.

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"Oh hi, Hotaru. What's up?"

"Nothing. I hate not working. It gives me nothing to do."

"Ugh. You're like this every Sunday."

"Well what are you doing? Maybe we can hang out?"

"I guess so. But right now I'm shopping."

"Again? How many credit cards have you used up this month?"

"I'm shopping for groceries, you dummy."

Mikan grabbed a basket as she walked in through the automatic doors.

"Oh. That's fine then. Well, when you're done, drop by my place."

"'Kay. Bye."

Mikan walked towards the fruit stand, showcasing apples, oranges, and bananas. She picked several up, checked them, and then dropped them into a bag for her basket. When she was done with her smoothie ingredients, she headed for the check-out lane. When she waited for the line to move up, she picked up a magazine and flipped through it.

When she reached a certain page she froze in place, her mouth gaping wide and her eyes not blinking. An elderly lady behind her had to tap her on the shoulder to make her move up. Mikan turned to her.

"Excuse me, ma'am. But do you know who this is?" She forced the magazine page into her face.

The lady blinked several times. "I'm sorry, dearie, but I just don't know-"

"That's me!"

The lady gazed harder at the page. "I don't think so, dearie. This girl is much more promiscuous than you."

Mikan rolled her eyes and held the page up to her face, as if that would help. "No, I'm serious, lady. This is me!"

The lady looked flustered, noticing that Mikan was preventing her from purchasing her food and leaving. "Well then, who is that young fellow there?"

Mikan glanced at the picture to see whom she was referring to, forgetting the possibility of a second model. "Oh him? No one important. I'm the one you should know."

Then she turned away and continued to stare at the athletic clothing advertisement. "I look so beautiful. I can't believe that's me. I mean, I don't doubt that I'm that pretty. I just feel bad for all the other girls who see this and can't say they look like this. What a pity."

"Ma'am! Please move up to the register!" A man yelled as she dazed over herself.

"Oh, whoops." She scooted up and tossed out a credit card. "Oh yeah, I want this, too." She threw the magazine in the check out kid's face.

After everything was paid for, she tore her photo shoot page out and threw the rest of the magazine on the floor. Then she picked up her bags and skipped out of the store.

-----

When he finally awoke for the day, Natsume threw on a t-shirt and shorts and ran to his red hot car. He sped down the road as the sun reflected off his dark sunglasses and the wind whipped through his hair.

He was driving along at much more than the speed limit when he glanced up at the billboards along the highway. Suddenly one certain billboard caught his eye and he screeched to a halt in the middle of the highway. Luckily, he had sped far enough ahead that no cars were around him for quite awhile. But when they did start to catch up, they quickly swerved out of Natsume's lane, cursing and yelling as they narrowly escaped collision. Instead of paying any attention, Natsume kept up his middle finger and continued to stare at the billboard.

Finally a police officer pulled up and started writing a ticket, but Natsume kept leaning against his Twin Turbo and staring. Finally he said, "Hey, sir. Do you know who that is?"

The old man glanced up where he pointed and shook his head. "No."

"Well, that guy up there is me."

The police officer doubled back on the billboard but shook his head again. "No. That's not you-"

"Yes, that handsome devil is definitely me."

The old officer ripped the ticket off his pad and handed it to Natsume as he exchanged his driver's license, Natsume not really aware of the situation. "Well, who's that pretty lady with you?"

"Oh, tch. Just some meaningless girl. But seriously, look at me."

"Get out of the middle of the road and you have a nice day now." The officer said, and then he put on his helmet and drove off on his motorcycle.

Even with a ticket, Natsume continued to gawk at the pose his maximized self stood in. With not a care in the world, he only looked at how great he looked up on that billboard.

-----

On Monday morning, the studio was bustling with people. Makeup artists were running here and there, as well as the clothing people, for all the photo shoots going on.

Mikan strode in through the back doors with Hotaru running after her. Mikan waved her hand in exaggerated motions as she spoke.

"Hotaru, you should have seen it. The picture they chose for the ad was phenomenal. They couldn't have put me in a better light. Eee! I just can't get over how great I looked!!"

"I'm sure it was stunning, Mikan. But could you please stay focused." Hotaru raised her eyebrows, implying she start paying attention.

On the other side of the studio, Natsume was sitting down while Ruka listened to him talk.

"You should have seen it, Ruka. I mean it was huge. Huge! And all my godliness was displayed to the world. I mean, there is not a single guy in the world who doesn't want to be me right now. I'm so goddamn good-looking."

Ruka rolled his eyes. "Mhhm. I'm sure that's it. You probably did look enviously great. But I don't really care right now. Let's just focus on the job today."

-----

After all the preparation, Mikan and Natsume were finally led to the set: a swimming pool.

Mikan's hair was clipped up into an intricate braid-ponytail, and her skin was once again transformed from its original pale color to a darker tan. She wore a bikini with the smallest bottom she had ever seen, very tight to her butt. The top was a rainbow tube top strip without any straps whatsoever, other than the tie in the back. It ran very tight against her chest in order to keep it on. Natsume, as was his custom, had no shirt on with a fake-tanned chest and a pair of red swimming trunks. They both wore their expensive sunglasses because of the super bright light they were using for the shoot and to model off the newest sunglass line.

"Mikan. Natsume. Good to have you back. I just love you guys. Okay, you know what to do: make it sexy! Get out there and pose! Feel free to use any of our props. Anything goes!"

With that, Natsume grabbed a gray blown-up raft and tossed it into the water, which was only about three feet deep. He laid on top of it and put his arms behind his head, waiting for Mikan to do whatever she pleased. Then she hopped into the pool, without getting her hair wet, and climbed onto the raft as well. She pulled herself on top of Natsume, laying her bare stomach on top of his and her smooth legs over his muscle ones. Natsume kept his posture and continued to look up at the ceiling. Mikan let her left arm hang into the water and rested her head on top of her folded right arm, positioned on Natsume's six-pack. Then she stared with her big, white sunglasses at the camera.

The photographer smiled giddily and began to snap away. "Excellent! If I thought last time was sexy, then this is a step up! Keep it going!"

Again from the side, Hotaru sat in her designated chair and watched, taking notes as Mikan had asked her to.

"Hey, beautiful. What'cha doing?"

Ruka came up beside her with a cute smile. When she turned to see him, she rolled her eyes.

"I'm taking notes."

"On what? All the things you love about me?"

Hotaru glared with her purple eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm taking notes on everything Mikan does. She says it could help her to be more original for every photo shoot. So she doesn't repeat anything."

"Oh. 'Cause that's not weird at all."

Hotaru glanced back at the set. "Professional is what it is."

"Whatever." Ruka flipped back his blonde bangs which only swung back in front of his face dreamily. "So I'm still waiting on that lunch date you promised me."

Hotaru patted out the kink in her purple business skirt. "I didn't promise you anything."

Ruka stood in front of her, blocking out the photo shoot she was trying to observe. When she couldn't see anything but the bright blue eyes before her, she threw down her pen into her lap and folded her arms. "What do you want from me?!"

"I told you: a date."

"And why do you deserve a date with me?"

"Because you are an extremely attractive woman and I am a drop-dead gorgeous man. We are perfect for each other."

Hotaru feigned a smile very obviously. "Well, I'm flattered that you desire my affection, but I do believe your charm has run out. So go away."

Then she hopped off her high chair and strutted away, leaving Ruka in the dust.

He shook his head with a grin. "She's wants me; she wants me bad."

-----

A week or so later, Mikan jumped in place, completely out of breath. "Hotaru, I can't wait! I just can't wait!"

"Mhm." Hotaru, on the other hand, stood completely still, her shaded eyes glued to the screen of the palm pilot she was holding.

Finally the man at the kiosk tossed out the daily newspaper and several stacks of the newest issues of the hottest magazines.

Mikan's eyes enlarged. "It's here! It's finally here!"

She immediately grabbed a copy of _Fashion Sense _and nearly ripped the pages out trying to find a certain one. When she came across the double-spread in the middle of the magazine, she jumped even wilder than before. "Ahhh!!!" Then she began to walk down the street.

Behind her, Hotaru handed the man at the stand the exact amount of money due without looking up from her organizer. She followed after the thrilled model.

"Hotaru! I look so beautiful! That is a model right there. You look up 'model' in the dictionary and it says 'Mikan Sakura' because that is what I am!"

The summer swimsuit photo shoot issue had just gotten released to the public that day and Mikan was eager to get an early copy.

"Mikan. I know you look great, but haven't you already seen the final photo a billion times? Just yesterday you told me it was, I quote, 'dull'."

"Yes! But Hotaru, seeing myself in a regular magazine, just as the public would see it, makes it completely new! So it's like I've never seen it before!"

Sparing one millisecond of her attention away from the phone, Hotaru quickly glanced at the photo.

"Hm. Hyuuga looks surprisingly good in this shot, too."

Mikan tilted the magazine. "Mhm…nah. Well…I guess you could say that…but I totally made this pose. This was all me. He just laid there. Don't give him credit."

With that, she handed the magazine to Hotaru, who tucked it under her arm, and strode into a coffee shop. "I'm thirsty."

-----

"Wow. Wow wow wow. I mean, Ruka, I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but I look god-awful amazing right here." Natsume tossed down a copy of another magazine, the exact same ad facing up.

Ruka glanced at it and rolled his eyes, as they sat in Ruka's office on the thirty-fifth floor of Hyuuga Corporation.

"Yeah. I kinda get the picture. But is there any way you could just stop talking about yourself? Like _now_?" Ruka said sarcastically.

Natsume turned towards his friend with heated eyes. "Jealous."

Ruka's head lurched forward. "J-jealous? Psh. This is probably the last thing I'm jealous about." He took another peek down at the advertisement. "Okay, maybe a little bit 'cause that Sakura girl is hot and looks mighty fine in this shot, but still, no. I am not jealous."

Natsume smirked and shook his head. "Whatever."

He grabbed his phone off the couch pillow and headed for the door.

Ruka stood up and placed his hands on his desktop. "Where are you going?"

Without looking back, Natsume replied: "Out."

Then he slammed the door hard, just to spite his agent. Ruka slumped back into his padded seat and muttered in sarcastic and mimicking tones. "It's not like my job includes touching half-naked sexy girls. No, I just get to watch my best friend do it all. That's fine. Ha, and he thinks I'm jealous."

A cleaning lady passed by, pushing her cleaning cart, and suddenly jerked upright at the strange sobs coming from Ruka's office.

-----

Mikan and Hotaru continued to walk the busy streets of Tokyo, Mikan singing all the while.

"I'm so pretty. Oh so pretty. Just so pretty and witty and bright!" She spun in twirling circles across the street, her spring green dress flowing in motion.

Hotaru still stared down at the device in her hand. "Is that even how the song goes?"

Mikan kept twirling, causing strangers to use extra energy just to get around her. "I don't know. But it's still true: I'm so pretty!"

"Of course, of course."

Just then Mikan's swinging arm smacked something hard. She halted her dancing and looked around. Her hand had hit something rock solid; a brawny chest to be exact. Mikan's hair whipped around to see who it was.

"Oh. It's you."

Natsume brushed off his red shirt and readjusted the deadly black sunglasses. "Odd that I'd run into you in the middle of the busy crosswalk."

He walked back the way he had just come, Mikan in line with him. A noisy honk sounded where they had just stood. Hotaru picked up her head to see an impatient taxi cab halted because of her standing in the middle of the road still. She put her head back down to the electronic planner and started walking in another pair of lavender stilettos. She simply stuck a thin, pale middle finger up at the driver and he soon shut up and then sped off on his way. Hotaru then stood nearby.

Mikan looked up at Natsume, white shades having a stare-off with black ones.

"Um. You looked good in that last photo shoot. I saw the ad in a magazine today. We both looked really good. And I'd just like to say, um…I couldn't have done it without you. Um, we both looked good."

Mikan raised her recently waxed eyebrows at this unexpected compliment. Or thank you. Or whatever it was.

"Thanks. Um, yeah, I saw it, too. We did both look good."

It was silent between them for awhile, only the bustling city scene in the background providing sound.

Hotaru glanced up again, the silence making her unsure of circumstances.

Finally, Natsume put his hands in his pockets and started walking back across the street, in the direction he had originally intended.

Then he hollered over his shoulder, "But just for the record, I looked ten times better than you did."

Mikan's jaw dropped. Her fists clenched and she stamped an expensive shoe on the ground. "Damn you, Natsume Hyuuga!!"

-----

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	4. Chapter 4

**Fake Love**

_Sometimes I believe that some people are better at love than others, and sometimes I believe that everyone is faking it._

_-Nora Ephron_

**Chapter Four: 2009 Tokyo Media Awards**

"Chop! Chop! Hurry up!" Hotaru was smacking her fist into the palm of her opposite hand. She was wearing a fancy lavender dress that cut off above her knees. It had thin straps over her shoulders and was low-cut. She clomped around in matching high heels.

In the bathroom, Mikan struggled to zip up her dress and so stormed out the door and planted herself in front of her pacing friend, who immediately tugged the zipper upward. Then Mikan returned to the bathroom.

"Come on, Mikan! We don't have all night!"

"All right! Quit your whining!" Then she emerged miraculously ready and fully dressed.

She marched about in her own pair of high heels, hers aquamarine in color. They matched her own dress which was a tad shorter, thinner, and more low-cut.

Both of the girls' hair shone with a glossy texture. Hotaru's hair was straightened even sleeker than it normally was, and Mikan's hair curled out in large ringlets with a blue crystal holding up a handful of hair.

Just then Hotaru grabbed her shoulder bag and headed for the door of the apartment complex. Mikan hurried after her with her clutch in hand. They jumped into the elevator and rang for the lobby. Hotaru stood annoyed.

"Took you long enough."

Mikan shot her an angry look. "I went as fast as I could. It's not like I actually care about being on time for a 'date' with this guy again." She motioned her fingers in air quotes at 'date'.

"But pretending to be Hyuuga's girlfriend is the smallest part of this outing. You're actually going to the 2009 Tokyo Media Awards, for which we hope you receive an award. Remember?" She exaggerated her last word.

Mikan glanced at herself one last time in her compact mirror which she extracted from her purse. When she heard what Hotaru said, her face popped up with a hopeful smile. "Oh yeah! Tonight is for me!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Well not exactly, but whatever floats your boat."

The elevator finally reached the main floor and the two beautiful girls stepped out and strutted towards the front door, where a swanky limousine was waiting for them.

------

Meanwhile, in a black stretched-out limo, Natsume sat with Ruka, wearing his typical black suit with the white shirt underneath un-tucked and un-buttoned down. Ruka also had on a suit, his light gray, but more properly worn.

"I still don't understand why you're here." The black-haired one said with his chin on his hand looking out the window.

Ruka sipped his glass of martini. "Well I'm your personal assistant. When you win your award, you're gonna need someone to thank in your speech."

Natsume rolled his eyes. Finally the limousine pulled up to the apartment building's glass doors. They sat there silently in the car for awhile until the two girls they were awaiting finally strode out.

-----

Hotaru held the door open for Mikan who cautiously stepped in. Then Hotaru climbed in and pulled the door closed. The two girls sat at the complete opposite end of the limo away from the males already occupying the car.

Once the car was off, Ruka lifted his glass up in the air. "To you, beautiful." He toasted Hotaru and then drank the remainder of his alcoholic drink.

Hotaru huffed her breath and shuffled in place in annoyance. Mikan snickered to herself before being elbowed in the stomach.

"Ow!"

Hotaru only shrugged her shoulders.

The rest of the ride was absolutely silent among the four passengers. But this noiseless atmosphere would soon be preferred and appreciated by them all in only a matter of minutes.

Finally the limo pulled up to a monsoon of people lining a red carpet. Mikan scooted all the way down the leather padded seats until she was right beside Natsume for their entrance. A man outside yanked the door open and Natsume quickly climbed out, not even acknowledging the crowd of screaming fans.

An aquamarine high heel emerged from the door frame and Natsume unwillingly helped the young girl out. Mikan waved a hand at the many people as she clutched Natsume's hand with her other. They walked down the carpet, pretending to admire the other. Behind them Ruka and Hotaru also came out but the thousands of eyes were glued only to the model twosome.

One certain girl in the crowd, who had a magazine spread of them and a camera held in her hand, tried to reach out her arm to touch either Natsume or Mikan. Without a second of hesitation a man dressed fully in black ran to the girl and pushed her backwards, blocking her from any further attempts at touching them.

The tabloid photographers and gossip show hosts were all bustling around the red carpet, trying to snag anyone famous. When the faces of the modeling industry came down the walk, they were stampeded with interviewers. One particular man managed to shove his way to the front and started asking the questions.

"Natsume and Mikan, how are you guys today? What are your thoughts of tonight?" Any juicy details on your relationship lately?

Mikan tilted her head into Natsume's thick arm and smiled with all her laser pearly whites. "Oh Yaji, I am just fantastic. I mean, it's the 2009 Tokyo Media Awards! Of course I'm doing well. I mean, just walking this carpet, seeing all the fans who see our ads, to be here with all these other talented people. It's just truly an honor to be here tonight. And about that last question." She tightened her grip on Natsume's hand. "We are so in love, words cannot describe my amazing feelings for him."

The paparazzi were soaking up everything she said. The reporter named Yaji smiled with glee. "Natsume, any comments from you about this beautiful girl?"

He smirked at what he was about to say. "Yaji, there's nothing else for me to say other than that this girl standing right next to me now is the one and only girl for me. I've never loved anyone so much before."

Yaji nearly squealed pathetically at what Natsume just said. "Oooo. Can I get a kiss from the hot couple?"

The many photographers nodded their heads in excitement. Mikan's stomach did a flip and Natsume nearly bit through his tongue. Yaji just continued to obnoxiously urge them on.

"Um, I don't know Ya-"

Natsume bent his head down and kissed Mikan square on the lips. Her eyes popped open in surprise but she immediately shut them to keep in character.

_Wow. That was a close one. But I can't believe Natsume did that! What a pervert! Oh wait; he is my 'boyfriend'. Hmm, this does kind of feel good…his lips are really soft for such a tough guy. Oh crap, what am I saying?! No no no. This is awful!_

Finally Natsume pulled his head away and smirked at the media. Mikan was still angry from her fit with herself but plastered on a grin anyway. Then Natsume put his hand up to them indicating no more questions and pictures. Then he dragged her along inside.

As soon as they were inside, the chaotic fans and paparazzi now gone, no one was watching them. They immediately jumped away from one another. Mikan continuously wiped her hand on her short dress. She also whipped her hand over her mouth in an effort to cleanse it from essences of Natsume's mouth.

"Ewwwwww! Why on earth would you do a thing like that?!"

"Because we're dating remember? If you want to keep this up, you better start pretending you like it."

"But I don't want to keep this up! I want this plan to fail as much as possible! The faster I can escape you!"

"Well it's no walk in the park for me either, princess. If the public wants it, we have to give it to them."

Mikan folded her arms with a huff. "Fine."

Natsume smirked with his hands in his pockets.

Finally Ruka and Hotaru came in the lobby. Ruka had a devious smile on his face, as did Hotaru; for once in their lives they were on on somewhat the same page.

"So, um, what was that all about?" He raised his eyebrows in question.

Natsume and Mikan both turned their backs in disgust at his joking.

"That looked pretty convincing back there. Are you guys actually starting to like each other now?"

The models shot evil glares at the purple-haired beauty. "How could you even suggest such a thing, Hotaru?! And you call yourself my friend."

"Whatever. I don't need to take any crap from you three. I know my role and I'm sticking to it." Then Natsume walked away in search of the rest of the Hyuuga Corp. representatives there that night.

Mikan nodded her head in semi-agreement with what Natsume just said. "Yeah!" Then she followed after angrily.

-----

Everyone at the 2009 Tokyo Media Awards were in their seats in the huge auditorium. The presentations were being aired on national television and anyone who was anyone in Japan was present. In a certain row very up close, ten people from Sakura Industries sat with the ten people from Hyuuga Corporation. Among the more important people of this twenty member group were Mr. Hyuuga, Mrs. Sakura, Hotaru, Ruka, Mikan and Natsume. The two models sat in the very middle with their hands clasped together, never letting go, nestled on the arm rest in between their chairs. The only reason they continued to do this was in case the camera randomly rolled by they needed to keep up the scheme.

"And now," the host announced, "Mr. Majide and Ms. Konshi!"

The lights focused in on a well-dressed man and a finely-dressed woman coming off from left stage. They walked up to the microphone with two envelopes.

"As one of Japan's most legendary male models, I do believe I hold the honor for announcing the nominees for this year's Best Male Model Award. They are: Shito Cachi from Tsuyo Limited, Hiko Marimo from Shentai Enterprises, and Natsume Hyuuga from Hyuuga Corporation."

As each nominee was announced, the camera spotted them out from the crowd and their face was enlarged on the huge screen on stage. When Natsume was announced, all the members of his party cheered. Ruka patted his shoulder, Mr. Hyuuga clapped wildly, and Mikan pretended to be rejoiced by squeezing his hand tight. All of this acting was beautifully caught on screen; a plus for their fake efforts.

The female stepped up to the microphone and began to speak. "And the winner of this year's Best Male Model Award is…" A drum roll began in the background. "First-year model, Natsume Hyuuga!!"

The crowd erupted with thunderous applause, including the nominees who didn't win. Their entire row jumped up and everyone started to hug the person next to them, including the two C.E.O.s. Natsume stood up to go receive a reward but not without a long, yet fake, peck on the cheek from his girlfriend. Natsume slowly came up the aisle to the stage, completely taking his precious time. His hands remained in his pockets and his mouth never curved to a smile. He hugged Mr. Majide and kissed Ms. Konshi, as was custom, and accepted the award handed to him by a lovely young lady dressed in white.

The trophy was simply a gold statue perched on a gold stand with a plaque at the bottom reading the title and his name. He looked at it without much surprise or care and then looked at the filled room with his red eyes.

"Um. Cool, I guess. Thanks dad for giving me a job at Hyuuga Corp. Thanks Ruka for organizing my life. Thanks everybody in the business who tells me what to do." He contemplated the next shout out before forcing himself to say it. "And thanks Mikan for being the reason I come to work every day. Love you, babe." He nonchalantly waved his arm in the air for one last hurrah and then walked off to the side of the stage as the crowd clapped wildly once more.

In her seat, Mikan shifted uncomfortably, unprepared for what Natsume had just said about her to the entire country. She realized she would have to reciprocate the pretend love if she were to win her award.

Mr. Majide and Ms. Konshi stopped their clapping and then she stepped up to the microphone once again.

"And now I, Keiri Konshi, the face of Tokyo Glamour Magazine for countless years, am proud to present the nominees for this year's Best Female Model Award. They are: Fai Unemiya from Rai Company, Tenshi Mayazako from Heki Organization, and Mikan Sakura from Sakura Industries."

Again, the camera spotted the nominees out of the crowd as their names were announced. When Mikan was called, Hotaru hugged her close. She smiled widely with real excitement because she wanted to win this award very badly and Natsume wasn't sitting right next to her to ruin this moment.

Mr. Majide peeled open his envelope. "And the award for this year's Best Female Model goes to…" Another drum roll. "Once again, the rookie of the year, Mikan Sakura!!"

Mikan jumped up from her seat in success. She hugged Hotaru again and even put an arm around Ruka she was so excited. She kissed her mother as she walked by. When she was finally out in the aisle, she squealed happily again and held her hands up to her surprised and red-glowing face. She hugged and kissed Mr. Majide and Ms. Konshi on stage and held her trophy up high with triumph.

"Oh my god, this is so amazing! I mean, not that I doubt my own abilities, but I really thought I was going to lose." Natsume rolled his eyes on the side. "Wow. This is just so great. I want to thank Sakura Industries, to me, the number one female clothing line in Japan. And my mother who owns and runs it! I want to thank my best pal Hotaru for always being there for me and helping me control my schedule. And I want to thank all the photographers, hair stylists, make-up artists, and costume designers who make me look so good!"

Hotaru narrowed her eyes in suspicion that Mikan was blabbing a bit too much.

"Oh yeah. I have to thank Natsume. Um…" Her mind was buzzing with something nice to say. "Because he makes work fun and we have the best shoots together and um…I just love him so much!"

Mikan waved and blew kisses to the applause and walked off stage with the girl in white and the two announcers. When she was completely off stage she started walking down the victory hallway filled with pictures of past winners.

Numerous reporters and photographers stormed anyone walking down the hallway and Natsume soon came up behind Mikan, placing his hand around her waist in an attempt to show their fake love.

"Ms. Sakura, what is it like winning the award? Were you expecting it? Do you think this is the first of many?"

Mikan waved a hand in the air offhandedly. "Oh, it is truly an honor to have this award in my hands with my name engraved on it. I have to say I was really hoping to win and I think my confidence shined through. Definitely. Since this was my first year on the job for real and I've already been recognized nationally and received this award, I'd have to say I am expecting many more in the future."

Then she quickened her pace to get out of the limelight with Natsume following next to her and refusing to acknowledge any questions thrown at him. The two returned to their seats during the commercial break just in time to hear Hyuuga Corporation announced the Best Male Clothing Line and Sakura Industries the Best Female Clothing Line.

-----

The next morning Hotaru sipped a cup of her freshly-brewed coffee. She tightened the hold on her bathrobe and plopped down in her arm chair after retrieving the morning post. She smiled with success at the headline in the business section.

_**Double Whammy in the Modeling World**_

_Last night, at the 2009 Tokyo Media Awards, Hyuuga Corporation's Natsume Hyuuga was awarded Best Male Model while his home company snatched the title for Best Male Clothing Line. On the other hand, Mikan Sakura was awarded as Best Female Model while her home company stole the title for Best Female Clothing Line. Whether or not the fact that these two sexy individuals are deeply in love has anything to do with the others' success, these two have only fortune and fame ahead of them._

-----

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	5. Chapter 5

**Fake Love**

_Sometimes I believe that some people are better at love than others, and sometimes I believe that everyone is faking it._

_-Nora Ephron_

**Chapter Five: Trouble in the Alley**

_Click clack._

Mikan's orange high heels hit the ground as she slurped up the remains of a fancy chocolate mocha concoction. She nodded her head back and forth to the rhythm of the song she was currently listening to on her phone.

Immediately she was grabbed by a costume designer and tossed into a dressing room, as usual. Within seconds her personal space had vanished and returned and she then stood by herself facing the mirror. Staring back at her was someone she didn't see ten minutes ago. She had simply transformed once again.

This time however, she was unsure of why she was wearing what she was. She carefully clacked her way over to her agent.

"Um, Hotaru? What's the deal? Why do I look like I just got shipped in from a French bachelor's home?"

Hotaru looked her client up and down with a stern-as-always face. Mikan was indeed wearing a black and white French maid dress, complete with the ruffles of lace, tight corset with bows, short aproned-skirt, puffy sleeves, thigh-length socks, and five inch Mary Jane's. Her hair was braided and held up atop her head in two tight buns. And as the icing on the cake, she also wore a small bonnet that tied under her hair.

"Mikan, you look adorable!"

"Adorably slutty," a male called out. Mikan writhed with discomfort at the sound of that voice. She jerked her head around and glared at the man behind her. Stunned at the sight of him, Mikan forced herself to spit out her tongue to cover up her interest.

Natsume was also fully decked out; as the bachelor himself. He wore slick, black pants, a white dress shirt with ruffles, a broach at his neck to keep together the puffed-out handkerchief, and a blood red lounge coat. Though being half-naked was the norm for them, Mikan's stomach still did flips at the sight of his handsome attire.

"Hmm…I'd actually prefer the hem to be an inch or two shorter, though."

As if his suggestions were law, a man came with a pair of scissors and trimmed Mikan's dress higher up her thighs and then quickly sewed it to perfection. This whole time Mikan's mouth hung open in disbelief.

"Wh-what?!"

But the lead photographer soon came over just before Mikan could start their daily argument.

"Wonderful, wonderful! You both look dashing! Let's get started shall we?"

Mikan huffed while folding her arms over her chest. "Um, excuse me? Yeah. Um, what are we even advertising? I kinda need to know for me to like get in the right mood. If you know what I mean."

"Oh of course, Ms. Sakura. You and Mr. Hyuuga are modeling the small business section of the industry. Such as small restaurants or maid services. Stuff like that. Letting people know they can order their company's uniforms and such from Sakura Industries and Hyuuga Corp."

Mikan tilted her head. "Oh. Is that section new?"

Natsume rolled his eyes at her lack of keeping up-to-date. "Since the beginning of this summer, our companies have been growing drastically; surprisingly because of _our_ ads. So we expanded to accommodate more people with the small businesses section. It's going to be newly released news in the next issues of our magazines. Oh, you didn't know that?"

Mikan shook her head curtly and paid no further attention to him.

"Well let's get to work shall we?" The photographer motioned towards the set.

Already placed perfectly was an arch-backed chair with velvet cushioning and gold armrests. Next to it was a small antique table with a sterling silver tray on it. Propped orderly on the tray was a beautiful china teacup, saucer, and coffee pot. Other miscellaneous utensils were also arranged neatly.

And without further ado, Natsume strode onto set, ready to get this part of his day done with, and sat in the chair. He smirked at Mikan, malevolently inviting her to make her move. Trying very hard to ignore the gorgeous male she was so unfortunate to have to work with, Mikan walked over in her shiny, high heels. She hoisted herself uncomfortably onto Natsume's lap so that her legs were settled in between his and the edges of the chair, basically in a straddle position. After this was done, Natsume pushed the hem of her skirt further up and placed his right hand visibly onto her left thigh.

As all this repositioning and staging was being done by the models themselves, Hotaru watched once again from the sidelines, along with all the photographers anxiously waiting to capture this scene.

As it was her profession, the wheels of Mikan's mind kept turning, trying to think of new ways to make this photo shoot even better. She was unaware that her partner was even Natsume. She was too much in her modeling zone to care.

With her free hands Mikan untied the bow at the top of her corset and loosened it, letting the strings hang down and her breasts to be better displayed. Also in his serious frame-of-mind, Natsume bent his head down low so that his lips just softly grazed right above the corset's edge. Mikan then placed her right hand around the back of Natsume's head, looking like she was practically forcing his head into her upper body. Then with her released left hand she reached out to the tray and grabbed the handle of the tall tea kettle. She tilted it so that she was actually pouring the liquid into the teacup, a great use of her props, and for the final touch she made a sexy yet conniving smile at the camera, advertising the scandalous situation she was in with her apparent 'master.'

The camera personnel simply ate up everything that they saw and began to shoot away in a blur of flashing lights.

"This is gonna be an instant success!"

-----

Because of its desperate need to be released to the public as soon as possible to inform them of the new small business lines, the ad was discharged by the end of the next week. And it was indeed an instant success. Small shop and service owners flooded in with uniform requests and Sakura Industries and Hyuuga Corporation raked in the profit once again.

Mikan strutted down the busy streets of downtown Tokyo one night wearing a tiny green cover up dress and matching green flip flops. Her hair bounced around behind her as she chatted away on her phone, without paying much attention to her surroundings.

"Hotaru, you can't leave me!"

"I don't care if you'll only be gone for several days, I need you here!"

"Oh, screw my mother and her business trips. I can't manage my life by myself!"

"Hang on, I'm losing you. Damn cell service."

She held up her outstretched arm looking for connection with her phone when she noticed the night sky.

_Wow. Did I seriously not notice how late it's gotten? Was I really at the spa _all_ day?_

Finally Mikan's phone lost complete connection. "Dammit."

Soon Mikan looked down. Having been lost in discussion with Hotaru, Mikan had actually gotten lost in her own city. She saw buildings she didn't recognize and fog lingered just above the uneven ground. "Where the hell am I?"

She started hurrying around the corners and down the blocks, trying to find her way back to her comforting bustling city scene. After a long time of desperate searching, she finally saw a lighted street up ahead with several cars; one she knew was the right direction. As her flip flops smacked the pavement she heard some obnoxious whistling in the background. This only made her strut faster. But just when she thought she was home-free, a person grabbed her by the arm.

"Hey pretty girlie. You look a lot like that girl in all those clothes ads these days."

With her ego ever present, Mikan couldn't help but respond. "Well I am the girl in all those ads. I'm Mikan Sakura of Sakura Industries. But I would really appreciate it if you'd let go of me now. I don't have time to pose for pictures."

The man whose hand clenched tightly to her arm smirked and raised his eyebrows. "This one's got a lotta sass, doesn't she?" He said to his friend that started to enclose on her.

"Excuse me, but I am _not_ sassy." Mikan stuck her nose up, very unaware of the danger she was about to be in.

The man chuckled. "She's much prettier in person than on those big billboards." He tried to pinch her chin with his fingers but Mikan swatted them away with her hand.

"Ew. You're hands are gross!"

"Oh. I like 'em feisty." The man she hit laughed again.

The two men were about mid-twenties. They both had a smug appearance to them and only evil-intent written on their faces.

"How about you give me your full services like you do that Hyuuga guy?"

"Yeah. I'd sure like to feel you up like he does. Give me that treatment, too."

Mikan's facial expression twisted up into a mixture of horror, disgust, and fear. She wildly kicked her legs about when either of the men tried to step too close.

"Come on, baby. I just wanna touch you." The man not touching her tried to grab her breast with his grubby hand, but Mikan swung her small purse and pounded him on the head.

"Stop it!!"

This defense angered the greasy-haired guy and he rubbed his head hard. "Idiot! Hold her down!"

Immediately the one man who had been clutching her arm the whole time now held them both behind her back. Mikan quivered and fidgeted as much as she possibly could but the burly man had too much strength weighing her down for her to budge free. The boss stepped closer with an evil grin on his face and came really close to her squirming body. Tears of trepidation streamed down her now-filthy cheeks, but her suffering only made the creep enjoy himself even more. But just as he was about to reach his hand out to paw at her thigh a loud voice yelled.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a quick fist balled tightly punched the guy square in the cheek and he fell to the ground. A leg flew up in the air and smacked the other man in the gut. With the newcomer's lightning fast reactions and superior fighting skills, the thugs stood no chance. After punch after punch, kick after kick, and beating after beating, the ruffians somehow managed to muster enough energy to run away, holding their wounded body parts and bleeding all over.

Mikan's protector stood with his head held low, breathing heavily. He staggered and turned to see Mikan standing in shock. She looked fine and unharmed but she stood silently staring at the ground for quite some time. When Natsume finally decided to step forward Mikan straightened herself out.

"Please don't come near me. I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for your assistance but I assure you it was completely unnecessary."

Natsume stopped short and smirked. "Unnecessary? That sleaze was about to rape you. You think that's okay?"

"Listen, Hyuuga. I was fine. So if you'll just excuse me." With that she started to walk away with her head falsely held high. However Natsume was not convinced.

"Sakura, you're just traumatized. You don't know what you're saying-"

But before he could finish his sentence Mikan whipped back around to face him, tears still rolling but her mouth formed a scowl.

"Stop it! What did I do to make you think things were okay between us? I hate you, you hate me. Nothing has changed, so why do you think you need to save me or make me feel better? You don't. Just forget about it and leave me alone."

Natsume was baffled by her attitude. "What the hell? I'm just trying to be a good person and help someone in distress-"

"Well stop! I don't need you. I would never need you."

Then she swiftly headed back towards the lamp-lit streets of the city, leaving behind Natsume with a completely confused look on his face.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" Natsume screamed out after her, but she was too far away to hear.

-----

"Dude, maybe she was just embarrassed by the whole situation. Or maybe she's one of those extremely self-reliant kind of girls who gets offended when someone tries to help them. I don't know. You tried to be nice, she's just an ass. Forget about it." Ruka said as he unscrewed the cap of his un-purchased bottle of soda and then took a swig. He followed Natsume around as he navigated between the same two aisles in the drug store. They were both wearing ripped jeans and t-shirts; obviously an off-day from work.

"I don't know, man. But I don't even care anymore. That's her problem."

Natsume finally came to his decision and settled on a huge bag of chips and a two-liter bottle of soda. Ruka continued to sip his own even as they paid for their items until he saw a certain magazine amongst the others stacked on the rack. He picked it up and flipped through it until he found a certain page. When he did, he smiled with delight.

"Damn. This picture is a mighty fine one of Sakura. She is hot with a capital 'H'. Imai said this shoot was good but I didn't think it'd be this good." Ruka was of course referring to their latest magazine ad which involved Mikan being dressed in a French maid costume.

Natsume ignored the compliments given to his arch enemy and instead smirked for something else. "So you talk to Imai outside of work? Is this like a date conversation or are you just throwing out small talk whenever she gives you the time of day?"

Ruka turned pink and jumped to the defensive side. "Hey, I am a very attractive business man, of sorts. I can practically have any babe I want. If Imai doesn't want me, then she's missing out on something spectacular."

"Keep telling yourself that." Natsume jeered.

Ruka started to get irritated. "Shut up. At least I have a girl to go after. _Your_ head is so up your ass no girl would ever want you once they realized how obsessed you are with yourself."

"Well, look who's got the girlfriend here."

Ruka rolled his eyes. "Yeah, a fake one that hates your guts so much she'd rather get raped then be saved by you." He laughed at his own comeback, but Natsume just hit him across the back of the head.

As Ruka rubbed his scalp, Natsume tucked the magazine back onto the rack. When they were about to head out the door, a girl screeched which drew their attention. The girl had her mouth hanging open and her finger pointing straight at the two guys. Ruka and Natsume both raised confused eyebrows until the girl ran over and jumped in front of the latter with her hands clasped together at her heart.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod, you're Natsume Hyuuga!! _The_ number one male model in Japan! Ah! I just love you so much; I have all your photo shoot pictures taped up in my bedroom! I call you 'the hottie with the body' but of course I got that from all the tabloids. Sorry, but you're just so gorgeous! Ah!" The girl's eyes sparkled with dreamy wonder.

Natsume looked uneasy and a tad scared, as did Ruka. "Um, thanks?"

"Ohmygod, I would give anything to model with you; just to touch you really."

Natsume smirked. "Touch away." He lowered his arms to his sides and the teenage girl threw herself onto him, nearly smothering his body and repeatedly touching his chest. He nodded to Ruka who shook his head disappointed.

"Haha. You're such an ass," Ruka said before walking out of the drug store. Without a thought, Natsume unwrapped the girl's arms from around his waist and followed him out as well.

"Haha. But it proved my point, didn't it?"

Ruka pocketed his hands and smiled. "Yes it did. You are undeniably adored by millions of teenage and middle-aged women. Yes, I get it. But you do realize that every girl who has ever taken the time to know you, whether by choice or force, hates every ounce of you? Because that's all _I_ care about."

Natsume tossed his already-eaten bag of chips into a trashcan as they walked down the streets of Tokyo. "Tch. Whatever. You're just jealous of my increasingly large fan base. That's all."

Ruka laughed. "Mhm."

_Bzzzzz._

Natsume reached his hand to his back pocket and pulled out his vibrating phone.

"Hello?"

"What?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Ah shit."

He hung up and tucked it back in his jeans. Ruka looked concerned.

"What's up?"

Natsume's face only showed signs of anger growing quickly. "Apparently our 'partnership' has been broken off with Sakura Industries."

"Is that bad?"

"Of course it's bad, you idiot. That's like one third of our income."

"Did they say what the reason was?"

"My dad said the C.E.O. just didn't want the deal anymore. I mean, what the hell is that all about?"

Ruka shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you didn't like Sakura much anyways. So now you can date anyone you want. That's good, right? I thought you've been waiting for this day."

Natsume scowled. "Yeah, well, that was before I realized how popular we'd become. Now I'm gonna lose like all my fans since the majority were just Natsume-Mikan fans. My celebrity status will decrease a ton."

As Natsume continued to have his apparent meltdown, Ruka only laughed to himself.

"You really are full of yourself, aren't you?"

-----

SORRY FOR SUCH LATE UPDATE. PLEASE REVIEW.


	6. Chapter 6

**Fake Love**

_Love isn't a decision. It's a feeling. If we could decide who we loved, it would be much simpler, but much less magical._

_-Trey Parker and Matt Stone_

**Chapter Six: Unexpected Reasons**

Natsume heaved open the glass doors and stormed into Hyuuga Corporation's main lobby. He swiftly made his way over to the elevator and demanded the doorman press the top floor button, not allowing anyone else to share his shaft. He turned around and slammed his fists into the walls of the compartment. When they doors dinged open, he burst out and stomped into another pair of glass doors. As the clueless woman at the front desk tried to ask him if he had an appointment, he only thundered down the long hallway until he reached the obvious door to the office of the big man in the building. He shoved the door open and began to erupt into rage just as his father placed down the phone.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Mr. Hyuuga folded his hands atop his large oak desk and cleared his voice before speaking. "Natsume, this is nothing to get upset about. Business is business and deals like this just come and go."

"But there's gotta be a reason for this!"

Mr. Hyuuga repositioned himself in his leather swivel chair. "Natsume, calm down. Mrs. Sakura of Sakura Industries simply called me this morning and we had a long talk about our deal and we decided to discard it."

Natsume pounded his hands on the desk top. "But why?"

"Well, we agreed that we both earned a lot of revenue from the deal and we were both satisfied with the results. However, she said she was bored with our bargain and wanted her model to do new things. It's as simple as that."

Natsume plopped himself down in an opposing chair and held his head in his hands in a defeated manner.

"Why does this matter so much to you anyway? Last I heard, you hated that Sakura girl. You wanted out from the very beginning."

Natsume raked his hands through his black hair. "Um, I don't know." Mr. Hyuuga smirked.

"Don't tell me you've actually started to like this Sakura girl."

Natsume immediately straightened up. "No. That's not it. I was just taken by surprise that's all." He stood up then and grabbed for his dark shades.

Mr. Hyuuga picked up the phone and started dialing, apparently this little conference now over.

-----

Hotaru slurped her remaining noodles into her mouth before grabbing for another take-out box. "This makes no sense. Why would two modeling agencies that are complete profit fiends break off a million dollar deal that was going so smoothly? Who cares if it's boring? It worked and we all got more money than we thought we ever would. Something must have happened while I was gone."

Mikan tried to eat her broccoli but it kept slipping between her chop sticks. "No. That is definitely not the case. My mother just decided it wasn't worth it anymore."

Hotaru continued to flip through the channels of the plasma screen on the wall. "Things like this don't just happen." She gave Mikan a glinty stare. "What did you do?"

Mikan almost choked on her food at the look she was given. "Nothing! I didn't do anything."

"Mhm. And I'm in love with Ruka Nogi," she said sarcastically.

"Ooo." Mikan looked rather interested.

Hotaru raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Kidding."

Mikan slumped back into the cushioning of the couch. The girls were quiet for some time before Mikan began to spill it. Hotaru smirked as she knew this was coming eventually.

"Well, so the day you left town, right after I got off the phone with you…"

When she finished the tragic retellings of that night, tiny tears started to well up in the corners of her eyes.

Though sympathetic, Hotaru still prodded for the answers. "I still don't understand."

"Well, I was in trouble and at just the right moment he came and saved me. And I felt so happy."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well it made me realize."

"Realize what?"

"That I love him. I mean I don't want to, but I do anyway."

Hotaru was taken aback, a look of surprise plastered to her face. "Wait a second." She started pacing around the room in her pajamas. "You two always fight and you're probably the most disagreeable people I know. But when you work together you just click. The photographers love you, the media loves you, and the fans love you. Then the one time you're in trouble, he comes to the rescue. Almost like a perfect boyfriend would. You've been forced to spend so much time with him that your feelings just kind of evolved without you knowing. And since your relationship was a business deal, you didn't feel the need to notice your feelings. And then when he came, you realized you loved him. And now you don't want your feelings to take hold and make a fool of yourself, since he probably still hates you like you thought, so you want to get as far away as possible."

"Yes."

Hotaru sat down flabbergasted. Mikan was now crying in the comforting arms of her best friend who stroked her long, brown hair.

"So you told your mother to break off the business deal?"

Mikan nodded, a little more calm than a few seconds ago.

"Well you're still gonna have to see him though, since you both shoot at the same studio."

"Not helping," Mikan moaned.

"Sorry. Well, though confusing, it does make sense. I just wish I had been there for you. Then none of this would've happened." Hotaru lightly kissed her best friend's head.

"Don't blame yourself. It's all _my_ fault. If I just weren't so goddamn beautiful, then all these crazy scum bags wouldn't try to touch me like that." It was silent for awhile before Hotaru finally giggled.

"So, does Hyuuga know about all this?"

"I don't know what the hell Hyuuga knows, but fortunately I don't have to talk to him ever again."

------

"Hey Sakura!"

Mikan turned regretfully to see the one face she hated most coming towards her. "Um, I can't talk right now. I'm in costume and makeup. That means I'm getting ready for a shoot. So please leave."

She twisted away while the staff glamoured her up once again.

"What are you modeling this time?" Natsume folded his arms over his chest and smirked at her wardrobe.

"Lingerie, duh." She tried not to look him in the eyes, afraid to be laughed at.

"Polka dots? Seriously? Who wears that?" He continued to smirk.

Mikan's cheeks turned slightly red at the whole underwear issue, but she held herself together. This was her job. She had to make sacrifices for her job. "Well somebody has to do it."

"You're right. And they made a perfect choice. Only someone so ugly could make _that_ actually look wearable."

Mikan was fuming inside but her composure remained calm on the outside. "Please go away now that you've had your fun."

"Fine. I'll catch you later, polka dot. And believe me, I _will_ catch you later." Then he walked away to go do his own shoot. Once all the crew members had dispersed, Mikan stamped her red high heel on the ground in anger.

As she cursed at the floor two men were rolling a mirror across the set. However, when the smell of freshly brought-out doughnuts met their noses, they left the mirror in place and ran for the refreshments table. Mikan glanced up to see her own reflection in the mirror. She turned this way and that, looking herself up and down.

_You gotta be kidding me. I look completely hot in this underwear. Just as I thought. Of course that Hyuuga jerk always has to get inside my head and make me feel so goddamn ugly. Whatever. I know he knows I look good 'cause I know I look good. Wait, I don't care what he says or thinks anyway. He is practically nonexistent to me, seeing as I just broke our million dollar deal just to get away from him. Haha. Take that, sucka._

-----

"Caesar salad and a fruit cup." Mikan filed her nails as she waited for the studio's cafeteria woman to fetch her her food. As soon as she took a seat, her worst enemy sat right across from her, probably stalking his prey for just the right moment to pounce.

"Hey polka dot." He leaned back in his chair.

Mikan tried her best to ignore him and ate her salad in silence. But after awhile of Natsume's continuous staring and smirking, she rolled her eyes and said, while looking at the ceiling, "For your information, I looked pretty damn good in that lingerie today, and I know you know it."

Natsume laughed. "Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that."

Mikan ate a grape off her spoon. "Well what do you want? You know its public news that we're broken up now, so it's kind of weird for you to be sitting with me."

"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about."

Mikan's eyes never stopped roaming the cafeteria. "Why's that?"

Natsume's voice sounded more firm and serious. "Why did you break the deal?"

Mikan returned her attention to him. "Aww. Do you miss me? Could it be that you love me and want us to get back together?" She used a baby yet mocking voice when she spoke.

Natsume slammed a hand on the table, but it luckily drew no one's attention. "Shut up! I just want to know why you did that. I know it wasn't you're mother. Are you embarrassed or ashamed or something about the other night in the alley-"

Now Mikan slammed a hand on the table. "Shut up! I just hate you and can't stand working with you anymore, let alone pretend to be your girlfriend. It was nonsense from the beginning and I hated every second of it. Is that so hard to believe? Psh. Why do you care so much anyway?"

Natsume shook his head. "Is that the reason? Is that really it?"

"Yes, I just hate you that much. So why do you care?" She emphasized her question.

Natsume shrugged casually. "You know me. I'm a narcissistic asshole. I only cared about the publicity. I was just mad that I'm gonna lose a lot of that now that we aren't together. That's all."

They both huffed and slouched back in their seats. Finally Mikan sat up and grabbed her tray.

"Well now that that's all settled, we can refrain from talking to one another for the rest of our lives. Good bye."

Then she dumped out her trash and left the cafeteria.

-----

Mikan patted her hands together as if a hard day's work was over. "Everything is cleared up. I'm doing great on my solo modeling career once again. No Hyuuga pricks are hitched to me. I'm just regular Mikan all over again." She smiled and hugged Hotaru happily, however the favor was not returned due to the huggee carrying a pile of paper work.

"I'm glad for you. But I really think you should just go home and celebrate alone. I have a lot of work to catch up on since your big business decision."

Mikan squinted suspiciously at her purple-suited beauty of a best friend. "What work could you possibly have to 'catch up' on? What do you even do?"

Purple eyes gave a death glare. "As your representative, I have to give a clear and concise story to all the media who have been pestering me for questions. I don't want any rumors going out that could ruin you or your mother. So just leave me to my work. Believe me: your truthful future depends on it."

Mikan nodded. "Right. See you later then." Then she left the studio building.

Hotaru was walking to her back makeshift office when her foot landed wrong on the floor and her purple zip-up high heels twisted on her. She fell to her knees, able to catch herself, but her papers flew all about.

"Shit!" She proceeded to picking up all the loose pages when someone else started helping pick up pages as well.

"Let me help you with those, beautiful." She glanced up to see Ruka. She immediately rolled her eyes in annoyance. But she continued to clean up her papers without a word. Suddenly she reached for the last page and touch Ruka's hand in the process. She looked up once again and saw two large, dazzling blue eyes gleaming back at her. She quickly stood up. Ruka followed.

"Um, thank you for your help." Ruka handed over his half of the letters from the media and Hotaru stacked them once again in her arms. He looked at her with a darling smile.

"No problem, gorgeous." As she had just turned the corner when she tripped, Hotaru was now standing beside the wall. Ruka extended his arm and placed it on the wall next to her head. He tilted his own head with his adorable blonde hair in close.

"You know no matter what you do, I won't go out to dinner with you, right?" She smirked.

"You're so prude, you know that? Normally I would find that annoying, but I think it suits you."

"I'm flattered but sweet-talk will get you nowhere, as usual."

"Oh? Well then what will get me somewhere?"

"Hmm…normally intelligence works or charm can do the trick."

Ruka snapped his fingers sarcastically. "Damn. I'm not too bright, or at least for your standards. And I do have charm, but apparently it has no effect on you. Anything else?"

Hotaru shrugged. "Nope. Those are my only principles and you failed at both. Good bye then."

She ducked her head under his arm and swiftly sped away. Ruka's smile slowly faded as she got further away until it became a frown. "Dammit!" He smacked the wall and then left the studio himself. As the steel doors slammed, Hotaru smirked to herself in the comfort of her office.

-----

SORRY FOR SUCH SHORT LENGTH. NEXT CHAPTER IS REALLY GOOD. PLEASE REVIEW.


	7. Chapter 7

**Fake Love**

_Love isn't a decision. It's a feeling. If we could decide who we loved, it would be much simpler, but much less magical._

_-Trey Parker and Matt Stone_

**Chapter Seven: Envious Relations**

"Mikan! They're ready for you on set!" Hotaru hollered form across the studio.

Mikan nodded in recognition and began to hurry over. However she was slowed by an annoying gorgeous figure, as was the routine these days.

"Hey Polka dot. What the hell are you wearing today?" He walked behind her with his hands in his pockets.

"I am modeling a school uniform. Can't you tell, dumbass?"

Indeed she was wearing a black short-cut skirt that came down only about mid-thigh, a tight, tan blazer over a white collared shirt with a red bow that only made her look three times bustier, black socks that came inches below the skirt, and her hair was separated into two, soft braids held up with matching red bows.

Natsume smirked. "Well, that was my first assumption, but then I realized how stupid it was and thought that couldn't possibly be it."

"Why's that? Sakura Industries can supply school uniforms if we want to."

"Yeah, but I don't think school principles would buy from you if all their girls would be dressed like sluts."

Mikan looked suspicious. "Since when do you care about girls looking proper? I thought you liked slutty girls."

Natsume smirked again. "And where did you get an idea like that?"

Mikan laughed. "Oh, maybe the fact that every time I was forced to work with you, you always 'preferred' my dress was a little shorter or my shirt a little tighter. And you always touched my ass and breasts. But, you're right. Where did I get an idea like that?"

She walked away towards her set, a victory smile on her face. Natsume watched from a distance, as he wasn't needed for another hour or so. He saw Mikan shake hands with a boy who was also dressed in a school uniform. Natsume's head lurched forward in surprise. Then Mikan headed over to the bleacher scene, the newbie boy already holding his hand around her waist.

"What the hell?"

Natsume quickly ran over to where Hotaru stood also inspecting.

"Imai, what the hell is that kid doing?"

A wicked smile crept on her face, but she never directed her gaze towards him. "Jealous are we, Hyuuga?"

Natsume smirked. "Not in the slightest. I just didn't know she had a new partner."

Hotaru nodded. "Well we skimmed through a couple of choices and Mikan decided on him. So I hired him. Got a problem with that?"

His fists were clenched tightly yet hidden at his sides. However Hotaru saw them quivering anyway. "No."

Then he stammered away towards his own agent who was chowing down on some bagels. Ruka looked up to see his best pal coming towards him.

"Hey, Natsume! Want a bagel?"

"Get me a female model right now."

Ruka was in between bites but he spoke nonetheless. "Wha da ya mean?"

Natsume's face was filled with anger. "For all my shoots I want the same girl. I don't care who, as long as she's pretty. That's all I need."

He walked away; leaving his agent dumbfounded holding a half-eaten bagel.

-----

Ruka had one hand in his suit pocket, the other holding his phone up to his ear. He hung it up just in time when he reached Natsume.

"Meet Luna Koizumi. Brand new model from Heki Organization. She may be new but she sure as hell doesn't act like it."

Ruka stepped aside to reveal a very skinny, strawberry blonde girl wearing a short white summer dress. The way she stood spelled out 'model' and the way her green eyes sparkled spelled out 'bitch'. She was beautiful, but makeup did a lot of the work for her. She stepped up to Natsume and placed her hands around his neck, adjusting his collar as if they had been married for years.

"Hey, sexy. You can call me Luna, but if you come up with a pet name for me go ahead and use it. I'm so glad I was chosen to be your new modeling partner. Heki Organization thanks you. But just so you know, the competition was nothing compared to the hotness that is me. We're gonna have a lot of fun together."

She smiled with a detection of evil in it. Ruka rolled his eyes but Natsume smirked maliciously and gave a thumbs up to his agent.

_Mikan Sakura, prepare to meet your match._

-----

Mikan and Hotaru were flipping through the latest magazine spreads, examining the final shots from her photo shoot.

"This one is perfect. I really like that one." Mikan pointed to a certain photo.

"Hmm. I like that one, it's got better lighting but it's basically the same pose."

Mikan looked more closely and then smiled. "Oh you're right! _That_ one's perfect."

Just then Natsume walked by and glanced at the pictures from over their heads. "Shit. Sorry those didn't turn out so well. Or did you like it like that?"

Mikan growled and Hotaru death-stared. "Sorry, sorry. Innocent mistake. I mean how was I supposed to know you planned them like that?"

"Go away, Hyuuga. Your presence is not wanted."

"Natsume! Natsume! Baby, where are you?!" A girlish tone screeched from across the studio.

Mikan's head jolted upward and immediately looked around. Finally Luna spotted him and strutted over in her tall high heels.

"Oh here you are, stud muffin. What are you doing talking to some lowly photographers?" When she approached Luna squeezed herself between him and the table, causing their bodies to run tightly together. The whole time Natsume smirked with extreme pleasure. Mikan blinked several times with a blank face.

"Who is this?"

Though the question was directed towards Natsume, Luna answered for herself. "I'm Luna Koizumi, the hottest model in Japan. And you are?"

Natsume scoffed at this accidental insult. Mikan's jaw fell to the floor. "_I'm_ Mikan Sakura, the _real_ hottest model in Japan."

Luna moved herself to now face Mikan head on and crossed her arms. "Is that so?"

Mikan stepped forward as well. "Yeah. I have the award to prove it. And you? Oh wait, you weren't even a nominee. You probably weren't even invited."

Luna started to get angry. "Well it just so happens I started modeling the week after. You could say that I'm brand new, but I already know the ropes of this industry. And anything I don't know, I'll have my baby Natsume to show me how it's done."

Mikan squirmed under her gaze. "No matter. I'm already at the top. And for your information, Hyuuga isn't the best person to take notes on."

Luna scrunched her face mockingly. "Is somebody jealous that they're no longer with Natsume and he's moved on to someone better?"

Mikan laughed. "_I'm_ the one who dumped him. Shit, I could care less if I never saw him again." Natsume smirked.

Luna glanced at her wrist, pretending to read a watch that wasn't there. "Oh look at the time. Natsume and I have our first photo shoot to get ready for. So if you'd just move…"

She moved towards Mikan and pushed her aside gently with her arm. But Mikan came back with a huge heave that threw her to the floor.

"You bitch!" Natsume helped Luna struggle to her feet.

"Aww. Is the new little girl all embarrassed? I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," Mikan said with a baby voice. Luna scowled as she rose but Natsume was only overjoyed at the reactions.

"You better watch yourself, Sakura." Luna dusted off her dress and flounced away with her hand rubbing Natsume's back, his own hand dangling over her shoulder.

Mikan boiled deep down. "Who the hell does that girl think she is?!" She bolted away in anger, leaving a back-to-work-couldn't-care-less-about-your-love-life-since-that's-what-this-is-_really_-about Hotaru.

-----

"I love this energy! This is just wonderful!" The main photographer was yelling out supportive phrases as he snapped away.

Annoyed by all the commotion that wasn't hers, Mikan came past the corner and stopped in her tracks when she saw the scene in front of her.

Natsume was fully decked out in a black tuxedo set, everything black and looking flawless with his beautiful black hair. With her arms in almost a death-grip around his neck, Luna had on a fancy party dress, indigo in color. It fell to the floor but there was a wide slit on the left side of the skirt that came up right below her waist. The dress was also a halter style and the split between the straps came all the way down to her stomach, leaving a lot of bare skin, not to mention the open back. Her strawberry blonde hair was done up into a beautiful bun with several strands falling down.

Mikan had to be a dimwit not to say they looked gorgeous together, but the sight of anything perfect without involving her was too much for her egotistical pride to handle. She watched in hidden rage as Luna threw herself all over the handsome man simply holding a martini glass.

Every time Luna would touch him in a different way or every time Natsume would smirk as if he was enjoying what she was doing made Mikan wince. Her brown eyes slanted in ire and she continued to watch, waiting for the shoot to be over.

"Clear! Great work Hyuuga, Koizumi." The camera personnel all left to go develop their photos and such.

Luna cheered and hugged Natsume once more. But Natsume paid her no attention. He happened to see Mikan glaring at them and smirked to acknowledge her.

"Natsume, I'm going to go change out of costume so we can go to dinner, okay?" She squealed excitedly. Then she ran away to her dressing room.

Natsume, on the other hand, threw his hands in his pockets and ambled over to Mikan.

"She's great, isn't she?"

Mikan folded her arms. "Oh, she's a keeper."

He smirked again. "She's beautiful, huh? I mean she's skinny-"

"More like anorexic."

"-she's got stunning hair-"

"Too vibrant; it hurts my eyes actually."

"-her voice is seductive-"

"A bit raspy to me."

"-her clothes fit her every curve-"

"Does she even have any?"

"-and her lips are the most luscious I've ever tasted-"

Mikan turned in surprise. "You've kissed her?!"

Natsume laughed out loud. "I knew you were jealous."

Mikan turned pink but spun away in disgust. "You wish. I just can't believe you're _that_ eager to actually kiss someone that you'd waste your time with someone as hideous as that. I feel sorry for you."

"Whatever."

"You're just so full of yourself. What could I possibly be jealous of?"

"Uh…Luna kissing me."

"And why is that…?"

"Uh…because _you _want to kiss me."

Mikan raised an eyebrow. "Okay. If I wanted to kiss you…" she brought her face up really close to Natsume's, taking him by surprise. Their mouths were only inches apart. "…would I just walk away instead?" With that she pushed him aside and strutted away.

-----

"Ugh. She makes me sick! But even more, _he_ makes me sick! I could just tear them both to shreds!"

Hotaru nonchalantly flipped the next page in her magazine. She yawned, checked her watch, and continued reading. Mikan, on the other hand, was pacing around the room like a mad man, flailing her arms up in the air and cursing at the carpet when she tripped.

"The way they glomp onto one another like being untouched for only a second would kill them! And her always yelling out 'Oh, Natsume!', 'Where's my baby, Natsume?!' She makes me want to go cut off my ears! And Natsume always walking around like he owns the goddamn place; and saying I'm _jealous_?! Of all things, _jealous_?! Nuh-huh!"

Hotaru flipped another page, absorbed for a second but then losing interest in the ad.

"Is it possible that you could be overreacting just a little bit?"

Mikan tried to rip her decorative pillow in half, hoping all the feathers would fly out, but failed miserably and threw it on the floor instead.

"Me? Overreacting? I don't think so!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes. But the brunette just continued to ramble on and throw things all over her apartment. Finally, Hotaru sat up, closed her magazine, tucked it under her arm, and started for the hallway.

"Just admit this to yourself: you _are_ jealous. And if you can't get over it, do something about it. Just stop annoying the hell out of me."

Then she shuffled away in her slippers and slammed her bedroom door, the one reserved especially for her when she decided to sleep over. Mikan stopped whining when the words her friend spoke finally sank in.

_Maybe I should do something about it, since I obviously can't stand it…wait a second! She said I was jealous!_

She threw another pillow at the wall. "I am not jealous, goddamn it!!"

-----

HOPE THAT CHAPTER WAS A BIT BETTER. PLEASE REVIEW.


	8. Chapter 8

**Fake Love**

_Love isn't a decision. It's a feeling. If we could decide who we loved, it would be much simpler, but much less magical._

_-Trey Parker and Matt Stone_

**Chapter Eight: Success At Last**

"Can I try on a pair of sevens instead?" Mikan looked up at the store clerk who nodded and hurried away to the back room.

She slipped the yellow strappy stilettos off her foot and rubbed her ankle. The store assistant came back and handed her an identical pair of shoes, though one size up. Mikan nonchalantly reached for them and fastened the two or three straps. Then she walked around a bit, deciding they were just the right fit.

"Perfect! I'll take this pair and um…what other colors do you have?" Mikan never looked up as she spoke, but instead continued to glance at her feet in a nearby mirror.

"Red, blue, pink and purple, ma'am." The girl stuttered nervously.

"I'll take them all. Hotaru, the purple ones are for you." She gave a smile to her best friend who simply waved a bored hand at the expensive gift. "Please ring these up for me."

With that the sales clerk ran off into inventory with Mikan's credit card.

"Ooo. These are very chic. Don't you just love them?"

Hotaru was sitting on the velvet merry-go-round-shaped couch, her eyes glued to the palm pilot screen once again. "Sure."

Mikan turned away from her reflection for one moment with her hands on her hips. "What's wrong with you, ninnybutt? I'm trying to spend some quality time with you, and what better way to do it than shopping? But no, you're over there keeping to yourself, always work work work work work."

"You like shopping and I like watching you shop. We're both enjoying ourselves. Now get over it."

Just then the girl, seemingly around Mikan's age but far short of her gorgeous looks, came back with her credit card and her bags. "Ooo thank you. Hotaru, we're going." And she headed out the door still wearing her newly purchased yellow stilettos, which matched well with her neutral gray dress.

"So, what next?" Mikan said as her best friend caught up, carrying all her other bags from previous stores.

"We eat."

-----

"Table for two, please." Mikan said with a superior tone.

"That'll be an hour wait. Name please?" The host continued jotting something down.

"Sakura."

The man immediately looked up and Mikan raised an exceptional eyebrow.

"Of course, a table for two. Inside or out?" He sounded rather jittery.

"Out please." She flashed a million dollar smile, implying she was well worth it.

"Right this way, Ms. Sakura." He grabbed two menus and walked through the restaurant maze until he stepped out onto the patio, indicating a table near the hedges blocking off the bustling city scene. "Someone will be with you in a very short moment."

"Thank you." The beauties took their places at the table, Mikan having to stack her bags near the hedge.

Hotaru finally set her phone on the table top. "It's been quite a pleasure spending time with you today, Ms. Sakura."

"Ditto, Ms. Imai." Mikan teased right back.

"Until now." Hotaru blanched.

"What?" Mikan noticed Hotaru's gaze stuck in another direction and immediately turned her own eyes that way.

Coming up the sidewalk, with their big dark sunglasses, were Natsume and Ruka. Mikan rolled her eyes while Hotaru shot them down with daggers.

"Ugh, gag me."

"Maybe they won't notice us and will keep on walking." Mikan sounded hopeful.

"Not a chance."

Ruka had already caught their gaze and was heading towards them, a cocky grin smothering his face. He and Natsume soon came up to the hedge, which came up to about mid-stomach, short enough for them to exchange a few words.

"Hey. My friend and I were simply walking down this street when we happened to notice you both with your eyes glued on us. I know we are quite a difficult sight to look away from. It's okay if you can't resist."

"Let's not give ourselves more credit than we deserve." Hotaru took a sip of water.

"We just happened to see you approaching and were dreading your coming closer." Mikan brushed some pollen off her cotton dress.

"Aw. They're embarrassed, Ruka. But I have to say, you were both ogling us pretty obviously." Natsume smirked satisfactorily.

"Well you were the ones they just _had_ to stop and say hello." Mikan struggled for a comeback. "Where's little miss put-your-penis-up-my-vagina?"She folded her arms across her chest. Hotaru smiled icily in agreement.

"Ooohhh, she just owned your girlfriend." Ruka was in disbelief, his mouth staying open with delight.

Natsume smirked, completely enjoying himself. "Somebody's got a mouth on them, don't they Ruka? Well Luna's not around. She's at the studio shooting for some other magazine. Why the sudden interest, Sakura?"

"I was just concerned for your lack of personal space." She gave a sarcastic smile.

"Ah, well, it's nice that you care. Come on, Ruka, we gotta get going."

Ruka turned to Hotaru instead. "Any chance the black-haired beauty will accept my invitation to a lavish dinner tonight?" He flipped his blonde bangs from his eyes.

Hotaru remained expressionless. "Not on your life."

"Tried and failed. Shot down once again." He pretended to be completely hurt, though it was evident that he was used to this by now. Then he perked up and his dreamy blue eyes sparkled at her. "But don't worry, sweet thang, I'll get you in the end."

"You're such a creep."

Ruka smiled. "But a damn good-looking one."

Natsume smirked and the two males were finally on their way. Mikan and Hotaru finally relaxed back in their chairs.

"Ugh. I thought they'd never leave."

"What an unpleasant encounter as always."

Mikan tilted her head in thought. "You know, Hotaru, Ruka's not half-bad."

Hotaru nearly spat out her water but managed to gulp it down just in time. "I beg your pardon?"

Mikan shrugged. "Well, for one thing, he is rather handsome. I mean a blue-eyed blonde in Tokyo? How rare is that? Quite a catch really. He seems like a pleasurable smooth talker and he plainly has a desire for you."

Hotaru's eyes were full of disbelief. "Excuse me? I don't think I'm hearing you right. My ears must still be filled with what-the-hell-are-you-saying gunk."

"He also has a successful job, exactly what you do. So money and self-reliance clearly aren't issues. And like I said, he's already attracted to you. So, why not? I mean he could be a lot worse."

Hotaru raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh? And how's that?"

"Well for one thing, he could be Hyuuga."

Hotaru nodded. "That's true. But do you really think I should take love, though I barely regard it as 'love' here, advice from someone who is head over heels for someone they despise and is hated by in return?"

Mikan clicked her long, French-manicured fingernails on the glass table. "You have a point. Okay, my bad. Let's just forget I said anything at all."

Hotaru took another sip of water. "Agreed."

-----

Natsume shoved his hands into his pockets. "You just won't give up, will you?"

Ruka smiled as he readjusted his sunglasses. "Nope."

"What's so great about her anyways? I mean, she is friends with Sakura. That's gotta be negative points."

"Uh-huh. Like I take the feud between you two into account when considering what I like about Imai."

"Well it's an attribute."

"Hardly. Okay, what I really like about Imai is a number of things. First-"

"Good god, you have a list?" Natsume sounded annoyed.

"Shut up. First, is her personality."

"Does she have one?"

"I'm going to hurt you if you keep talking. Yes, her personality is completely different from any other girls I've ever met. I mean, most throw themselves at me, but she can't stand being near me; which I love by the way. She is coldhearted but I think that if she really knows you, she's probably snuggling material."

Natsume laughed incredulously but stopped when Ruka gave him a glare.

"She seems to be really smart and is completely dedicated to her work; which I like because she's not just a trophy-wife type who sits at home all day soaking in her husband's success. She's also ridiculously funny and she doesn't need to try. She can reduce you to absolutely nothing in a matter of seconds."

"I'm sure she's done that to you on more than one occasion." Ruka ignored his comment.

"And then of course I couldn't forget about her looks. I mean, for anyone like me, good looks are just necessary. She has a flawlessly pale face and her deep purple eyes could submit me to her will. Her black hair is glossy and I just want to run my hands threw it. Her figure is not bad at all either, and it seems like she doesn't even lift a finger to retain it; even though she does eat a lot, which I've noticed. But who doesn't love a lean girl with a hardy appetite?"

"She wears nice clothes, too." Natsume threw in.

"That's true. Always purple business suits, which I find kind of cute. But then matched together with her stilettos, it's like a danger warning. Ugh, I just can't stop thinking about her."

Natsume sounded uninterested at this point. "Well it sounds like you're in love with a devil."

"But a ridiculously hot devil." Ruka waved a knowing finger in the air.

Natsume started off in the opposite direction towards his red convertible. "Suit yourself, man."

Ruka felt a little offended. Just before he turned away as well, he called out to Natsume, "At least I don't need a fake girlfriend who thinks she's my real girlfriend just to make my ex-fake girlfriend jealous."

As soon as Natsume figured that out, he quickly swung around angrily but Ruka was already gone.

-----

The next day, Mikan was bustling around in her wardrobe trying to change back into her regular clothes. When she finally emerged from the dressing room, she soon found Hotaru over by the photo log. She began looking over the photos from her most recent shoot before that day with her.

"Oh, that's a good one."

"Neh. This one is good."

"No no no. I hate that one. My ass looks too big."

"But your boobs don't."

"Good observation."

"Oh wait, but this one has a better look on your face."

"Yeah, but the big boobs one will sell more."

"True. Okay let's go with this one."

Mikan continued to flip through some photos when Hotaru happened to glance up. Across the room was Ruka talking to someone. However it wasn't his usual partner Natsume, but a girl. Hotaru craned her neck to see around everyone else.

Ruka stood there with his arms folded over his chest with a smile on his face. The girl talking looked as if she was overly flirting with him. Hotaru merely overlooked this and returned to the index of photos but managed to keep them in view from the corner of her eye.

Suddenly the girl placed her hand on his shoulder and was giggling uncontrollably. But what was really upsetting was Ruka's reaction to the girl. He looked as if he was enjoying the attention.

Out of nowhere Hotaru sat up from her stool and started heading in that direction. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Mikan asked.

"There's something I need to take care of."

Her tall high heels clicked against the hard floor as she made her long strides. Her purple pinstriped pant legs flapped against her shoes as she swayed across the studio. As she made her way over to them Ruka and the girl both looked up from their conversation.

"Can I help you?" The green haired girl asked, a little annoyed at this interruption of her flirting.

"Step off." Hotaru said plainly but with a lot of hidden threat.

"Whoa." The girl was taken aback. "And just who do you think you are to get in my face like this?"

"Hotaru Imai. Modeling agent and manager of Mikan Sakura. And you are?" She tapped her toe impatiently.

The girl looked bewildered. "Um, Sumire Shouda. I'm a photographer."

A wicked smile crept over Hotaru's poised lips. "Aw. Looks like I outrank you. So please leave."

"What?! You may be able to tell me what to do on set, but you sure as hell don't have the right to interfere between me and a man."

"He's _my_ man." Hotaru said menacingly as she came closer to Sumire's face.

Ruka looked just as surprised as Sumire did when she said this.

"Oh." Sumire stared on defeated. "Well, sorry. I didn't know."

"Well now you do." Ruka looked completely shocked as he continued standing behind Hotaru. "You have nice legs, Shouda. Let's see you use them."

With that Sumire whipped around in utter loss but still with a scowl on her face and walked off.

Hotaru couldn't help but feel very powerful inside but once her overwhelmed senses came back to her, she feared what was still behind her.

"Well, well, well. Looks like somebody was a little jealous." Ruka spoke in a very teasing tone.

Hotaru turned to face him with an expressionless face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He readjusted his arms in their crossed formation. "What was that then?"

"What was what?"

"Just now. You telling off that girl."

"I did no such thing." Hotaru tried to stay in command.

"Just admit it. You like me, don't you?" Ruka smiled cheekily.

"What could possibly make you think that?"

"You just yelled at a complete stranger because she was flirting with me."

Hotaru blushed slightly, but barely enough to tell. "I didn't yell." She said matter-of-factly.

"But you still got mad. Thus you're jealous and you have feelings for me."

"I don't even know you." Hotaru stared at him.

"Well not very well. But it's nothing a little dinner date can't fix. Or a few." If possible, his grin grew wider.

"I stand by what I've always said: no."

"Come on. You know you want to. _I_ know you want to."

Hotaru was cornered. She had set herself up for a trap she couldn't escape. Somehow, she managed to keep her composure. But nonetheless, Ruka unfolded his arms and stepped a bit closer. He reached out his hands and snaked them around her waist before she could even realize what was happening. He started to bend his head down. Hotaru panicked inside and eventually her body numbed down and she was helpless.

"You're such a creep."

Ruka smiled as his lips were centimeters from her own. "But a damn good-looking one."

Then the gap disappeared and their lips were locked. Unknowingly, Hotaru's arms came up around his neck and he only grasped her tighter.

From a distance, still standing by the photo records, Mikan clasped her hands together at her heart and smiled. "Aw. Good for you, Hotaru. And even more good for you, Ruka. Success at last."

-----

SORRY FOR SUCH A TERRIBLY LONG GAP BETWEEN UPDATES. PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND REVIEW!


	9. Chapter 9

**Fake Love**

_Love isn't a decision. It's a feeling. If we could decide who we loved, it would be much simpler, but much less magical._

_-Trey Parker and Matt Stone_

A/N: Very important: I know I told you differently before-if you even remember- but I am officially changing all their ages from 20 to 25. It'll just fit better; you'll probably see why. And this is more of a filler chapter so please enjoy anyway. I've decided to go beyond the 10 chapter mark, so expect more chapters later!

**Chapter Nine: Wedding Bells**

_Bzzzz._

"Hello?" Mikan asked in between bites of a strawberry croissant. "Yeah. No, I'm coming. I'll be there in like ten minutes."

She hung up her phone and tossed it into her expensive leather purse. Then she wiped her mouth with a napkin and threw it down on the table. She walked up to the cash register and coolly held out her credit card. After a minute or so she was out the door of the coffee shop and speeding away in her black Bentley.

------

"Ugh. Where is that Mikan?"

"Fashionably late as usual."

"And on _my_ day, too. I will not forgive her." An indigo haired girl, around the same age as them, said while crossing her arms impatiently.

"It is not your day yet. Tomorrow is." A pink, wavy haired girl said matter-of-factly.

The black sports car zipped into a parking space and a flustered brunette emerged in a hurry.

"Here she is."

_Ding._ Mikan rushed through the door.

"Took you long enough, princess." The indigo haired girl whined.

"Oh calm down, prissy. I would have been on time had I not needed a refreshing snack from my tiring run around town buying _someone_ a ridiculously fancy gift that they've always wanted." Mikan raised a convincing eyebrow.

"Oh! You didn't?! Aw, you're so wonderful, Mikan!" The indigo haired girl enveloped her in a hug.

"Ogasawara, Nonoko. Group of four." A lady called out from the desk.

"Oh, they're ready for us. Let's go!"

And with that the four girls followed the woman into the spa.

-----

"Did you hear how they called out 'Ogasawara, Nonoko'? I've been hearing that name for twenty-five years now. But I'll barely ever hear it again after tomorrow." Nonoko squealed with mixed emotions.

"I know; it's so exciting. Let me see the ring again." Mikan pulled Nonoko's left hand to her face and examined the ring on her ring finger. "A three carat princess cut diamond, with two carat baguettes on either side, all on a white gold band with your initials engraved inside. Wow. This guy has got class."

"Yeah. But can she even hold up the weight of that ring with her dinky finger?" The pink haired girl laughed.

"Anna, you're just jealous. When you get engaged, if ever, then we'll compare rings and we'll see who's laughing then." Nonoko was rather protective.

"It really is nice though. It must have cost him a boatload." Hotaru's attention was focused on the money.

"Maybe. But it's the thought that counts." Nonoko held her head high.

"You'd be saying something different if it was anything smaller." Mikan said. They all laughed at the obvious truth.

Meanwhile, the girls were all spread out on their own bed tables, each with a strong man giving them massages.

"Well, so we all know about me." Nonoko began. "But I haven't seen you two in ages. Tell me everything."

Mikan shrugged. "There's not much to tell."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Yep, absolutely nothing to tell about the hottest female model in Japan, who reminds me of this fact nearly every day."

Anna smiled excitedly. "Oh Mikan, yes, you must tell us about your career. You've moved up so much since we last saw you."

"Well, it is true: I was voted Sexiest Woman Alive in last month's issue of _Fashion Sense_."

"Aw. That's so great! I feel so special. The Sexiest Woman Alive is going to be in _my_ wedding. But you better not make me look bad." Nonoko teased.

"Hey. It's not as easy as it looks, girls." Mikan reassured them.

"Yeah. A lot of work goes into it." Hotaru said sarcastically. "You have to take your clothes off, and wear new costumes, and pose with men, and just look beautiful all the time. So hard."

Anna and Nonoko laughed.

"You know what? I think someone is trying a little too hard to keep the spotlight off of herself. But I won't let you get away so easily. See, Hotaru has a new boy toy." Mikan said with an evil smile.

"What?! How have we not heard about this before?" Anna shrieked.

"It's rather recent. And she doesn't seem to want anyone to know." Mikan filled them in.

"Well, give us details." Nonoko begged.

Hotaru remained quiet with a scowl on her face, but there was no way to silence Mikan; too many people around.

"He's handsome, has blonde hair and blue eyes. His name is Ruka Nogi-"

"What?!" Nonoko blurted out in surprise.

"Um, I said his name was Ruka Nogi."

She looked bewildered. "Ruka Nogi is going to be in my wedding, too!"

Hotaru was the one to act shocked this time. "He is?"

"Yeah, he's one of my fiancé's groomsmen. He mentioned that they were high school friends."

"Wow." Mikan said stunned.

"Aw. Idea, idea! Hotaru and Ruka should walk down the aisle together! That'll be so cute." Anna said, very proud of her quick thinking.

"Yes! I'll make the changes at the rehearsal dinner tonight."

"Ugh." There was no way Hotaru could change Nonoko's mind now.

"Oh, you know who else is in my wedding? He's a model, too. He was actually just voted the Sexiest Man Alive. Now that I think about it, you dated him. His name is Natsume Hyuuga."

Hotaru laughed wickedly while Mikan leaned straight up on her forearms, causing her masseuse to stagger backwards and her entire bare upper body to be suddenly exposed to the males. "WHAT?!"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Mikan cried out helplessly.

It was two in the morning and she and Hotaru were just getting back in from Nonoko's bachelorette party. Though the late evening was overly fun, the thoughts of seeing that sick black haired guy at the rehearsal dinner kept lingering in her brain.

"Why does this always have to happen to me?!" She began to scream into a nearby pillow.

Hotaru gulped down a glass of water. "I don't know, but frankly I don't care. I'm going to bed." She started for the back hallway.

"Why don't you go sleep at your own house?" Mikan muttered, exhausted.

"Your beds are more comfortable." Then Hotaru slammed her own door shut.

"Ugh!!! Could my life get any worse?!!"

-----

"Move over." Mikan said hurriedly to Anna, so that they were both staring in the mirror and swiftly putting their make-up on.

All three bridesmaids were in the same dressing room, making last minute preparations. They were all dressed in pale blue dresses that extended to the floor and swayed when they walked. They had thin straps over their shoulders that criss-crossed in the back. Their hair was all done into bouncing banana curls.

"Here are your flowers ladies." A woman came in and handed them each a beautiful bouquet of blue flowers. Of course the wedding's main color theme was white and blue, being Nonoko's favorite colors.

"Here's the bride!" Anna squealed excitedly.

From a side door connecting to another private changing room, Nonoko emerged, her cheeks rather rosy and mouth a gleaming white grin.

"Ahh! You look so gorgeous!" They all shrieked, even including Hotaru.

Nonoko was, of course, wearing a traditional white wedding dress. It had a perfectly fitting corset top with intricate beads all over it; two poofy straps hung at her arms instead of over the shoulders; and the skirt of the dress was like a princess ball gown skirt, flowing smoothly down to the floor with various layers of white material. Her indigo hair was piled into a slick bun at the back of her head with all the extra hair trailing down over her shoulder in a precise curl. To top it all off, she had on a glittering tiara with a flawless veil. She was also carrying a fabulous bouquet of blue flowers, but hers almost two times the size of theirs.

"Oh my god, you are just so beautiful!" Anna said one last time.

"And thank you for choosing Sakura Industries for your bridal clothing." Mikan winked jokingly.

"Well of course, there was no other thought in my mind." Nonoko laughed.

Suddenly a man peeked through the door. "It's time."

Nonoko soon became very nervous but was determined not to let her make-up smear if she got too anxious. So she started pacing around.

"Okay, let's go." Hotaru commanded in operation mode.

Each girl kissed their friend encouragingly on the cheek, grabbed their bouquet, and headed out the door. They all lined up with their designated aisle partner. Hotaru with Ruka, Anna with someone by the name of Koko, and, unwillingly, Mikan with Natsume.

They all linked arms and were ready to head down. Mikan glanced up at Natsume and, without noticing, fixed his black bow tie.

"Aw. How sweet of you." He smirked.

"Well if I'm going to walk down with you, I want us to at least look nice." She said without interest.

Finally the music started and the three bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down, led by the maid of honor, Anna, and the best man, Koko. Waiting at the other end of the lavish garden wedding setup was Nonoko's fiancé, a man named Yuu Tobita. His windswept sandy blonde hair swayed in the light wind and darling orange eyes gleamed anxiously behind glasses. When the traditional music for the bride started he smiled happily.

Mikan looked at the scene in front of her. _Damn. I want this. One of my best friends is already getting married and I can't even fall in love with a civil human being._

-----

_Clink._

Mikan polished off another glass of wine and placed it down on the glass table. The wedding reception had been going on for several hours already, the usual speeches and bouquet-throwing traditions already passed. Which by the way, Hotaru caught. Mikan was still sitting at the long, outstretched table for the special people in the wedding, her seat having been only two down from Nonoko.

"What's wrong with you?" A familiar male voice sounded.

"Go away." Mikan growled at him.

"Don't bite my head off. I just came over to see if you wanted to dance."

Mikan nearly choked on air. "Haha. What? You actually expect _me_ to dance with _you_?" She looked dumbfounded.

"Sure, why not? I mean, tonight is obviously not meant for either of us and we weren't even planning on the other one being here. So why don't we put away the claws for once."

Mikan shook her head while laughing. "Um, no. Whether you are dead or alive, I do not care. I will still hate you."

Natsume shrugged. "Fine. You had your chance. Don't get all mad at me if you see me having a good time without you." Then he upped and left, leaving Mikan with her bottle of wine.

Moments later, her eyes scanned the dance floor. A slow song was playing. Nonoko was with Yuu, her head resting gently on his shoulder smack in the middle. Anna was with that Koko, whom she would have to ask Anna about later. Even Hotaru was dancing with Ruka, but probably talking about work. And there was Natsume with a strawberry blonde, her hands clasped around his neck nearly in a death grip.

_Wait a second, what?! It's that bitch Luna! What the hell is she doing here?!_

Mikan pounded her hands on the table as she rose to her feet. As they slowly twirled around, Natsume caught Mikan's gaze and gave her an evil smirk.

_That jackass! He knew this would happen all along!!_

As his face turned away from her and Luna's was now in full view, Mikan ducked beneath the table. If she had seen her, a fight probably would have ensued, which Mikan was convinced she would have won, but she didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.

About this time, the song ended and a quick, up-beat one began. More guests joined the dance floor and started jumping in the air. There were hundreds of people; quite a big wedding actually. Nonoko had even said she only knew half of those in attendance.

Once she popped back up from beneath the table, Mikan inspected the dance floor once again. Nonoko was laughing as Yuu spun her around, Anna and Koko were bopping all around, Hotaru and Ruka were nowhere to be found. She'd have to investigate that later as well. And Luna was running her hands all over Natsume; a rather displeasing sight to innocent eyes.

_Ohh…that bitch is gonna pay for this._

Murderous thoughts were roaming in Mikan's mind but suddenly she remembered Luna was not the main focus here.

So she looked around once more and spotted a man who she did not know, but looked about the age of twenty-five. He was not bad looking at all and Mikan immediately deciding he was perfect for her task.

She walked onto the dance floor and suddenly grabbed the guy's tie, dragging him closer to where Natsume and Luna were. Then she started dancing with him intricately. The guy looked anything but unhappy.

"So what's your name?" He shouted over the crowd.

"I'm Mikan Sakura. The hottest female model in Japan." She yelled proudly.

The guy looked her up and down. "Yes you are."

Then he extended his hands around her waist as her back ran against his front. "I'm Rai Doji."

"Yeah, sure." It wasn't a question, but Mikan answered as if it had been one, unaware of what he had even said.

Natsume was dancing with Luna, a smirk on his face, until he finally saw Mikan just beside them. His crimson eyes became heated flames and the smirk was wiped clean off his face. Luckily, Luna was oblivious to everything.

Mikan caught his gaze and smiled with poised lips. Then she whispered something to her dancing partner. As they continued to jostle back and forth, suddenly the guy started kissing Mikan's neck. Natsume cringed in fury. But Mikan only smiled brighter.

As if in some retort, Natsume started to kiss Luna's neck, which she was completely satisfied by. However, his enraged eyes were always focused on Mikan.

When she saw this, Mikan scowled and whispered something else to her dance partner. He grinned smugly and wrapped his hands tighter around her waist, slowly bringing them up her body until they were solely positioned on her breasts. The sneaky smile reappeared on her face.

Natsume was furious. He almost let go of Luna completely and beat that poor guy, but he collected himself, determined not to be the one to fall so easily. He then mirrored what Rai had done, which only made Luna even more overjoyed. His smirk returned as Mikan's melted away.

The same routine went on, their smiles and scowls reappearing and disappearing at each other's expense, until the fast song finally ended and another slow, heartfelt one took its place. From that, Mikan bolted away and sat down angrily in her chair, leaving Rai on the dance floor looking upset. But he had had enough pleasure in those last five minutes to last him for quite awhile. Also pissed off, Natsume stormed away as well, however to a completely different table, leaving Luna in near tears.

As they slowly stepped side to side with their men, Nonoko whispered to Anna, "What's with those two? I thought they worked well together."

Anna rolled her eyes. "I know, seriously. But Hotaru told me the whole story. I'll tell you later."

They nodded and continued their peaceful dancing, both a tad concerned for their poor little Mikan. But she was going to need a lot more than concern to pull through this one.

-----

THOUGH THIS ONE WAS MOSTLY FILLER FLUFF, I HOPE YOU ALL LIKED IT. PLEASE REVIEW TO LET ME KNOW HOW GOOD OR BAD IT WAS. I THOUGHT THE CAMEOS WERE KIND OF CUTE. SO PLEASE REVIEW.


	10. Chapter 10

**Fake Love**

_Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love._

_-Albert Einstein_

**Chapter Ten: Sisters Know Best**

"Hm. Hm. Hm." A black-haired girl hummed as her cork platforms smacked the hard floor of the lobby. She walked right past the front desk, the receptionist even sneaking a worshipping glance at the superior girl.

Then she hopped into the elevator, the button man tipping his hat to her. "Which floor, Ms. Hyuuga?"

"Top please."

He pressed the said button and the elevator shaft soared to the apex.

"Thank you." She said and then bounded down the hallway to the boss's office.

She didn't even bother knocking and opened the door immediately, plunking down in a black leather armchair. When she sighed, Mr. Hyuuga swiveled around in his chair.

"Hi, daddy." The twenty-two year old girl smiled.

"Aoi! So good to see you!" Mr. Hyuuga came around his vastly wide desk to give his daughter a hug. "How was your trip?"

Aoi sat back down. "Lovely! Paris was exquisite! Very scenic, you know. My favorite was, of course, the Eiffel Tower."

"How were the fashion shows?" Mr. Hyuuga became all business-like again.

"Oh, right. They were marvelous! I've never seen so many picturesque models before, and the clothes were superb! I've come back with so many new ideas, daddy."

"Perfect. Then that was a very wise suggestion to go there."

"Indeed."

"Well, when do you think you can get started, dear?"

"I am still rather jetlagged, honestly. But I'm sure I'll be designing like crazy by tomorrow." She smiled with laser white teeth.

"Great. Then, if you don't mind, could you stop by the studio and give this to your brother?"

He handed her an envelope.

"Fine. I guess I haven't seen him in awhile either. A short visit couldn't hurt." She rolled her eyes jokingly.

"Thanks, dear. I'm so glad you're back home." Mr. Hyuuga kissed her on the forehead.

"Thanks, daddy. I missed you, too."

-----

_Wow. How long has it been since I was last in here?_

She glanced around the studio, many models and photographers running around towards their specific sets.

_Okay. Dad said he's always on set C3. Where the hell is C3?_

Aoi spun around frantically, but couldn't see any signs indicating the separate sets. She looked up from her woozy state and saw a brunette sitting in a tall chair. Aoi walked forward.

"Excuse me, but do you know which of these sets is C3? I haven't been here in a long time and honestly, I'm rather lost."

The brunette glanced up from her cell phone, which she was fiddling with in her lap. "Oh, no problem. This is C2," she pointed to the set she sat right in front of, "and C3 is one set down over there," she pointed to the left.

Aoi looked relieved. "Thanks. I'm Aoi." She held out her hand politely.

"Oh, I'm Mikan." Mikan shook her hand. "So what do you do?"

Aoi flipped a thick strand of shimmering black hair over her shoulder. "I'm a male clothes designer for my dad's company. I know that doesn't sound very great, but it really is fun. And what better point of view for a guy's clothing designer than an actual girl, the one who the clothes will try to impress? You know?"

Mikan giggled. "That's true. And don't worry. I totally respect designers of all kinds. They're the ones that make me look good; I'm a model for Sakura Industries."

Aoi nodded. "That's so cool."

"You know you could be a model, too. You're so pretty," Mikan said. "Shiny black hair, dazzling red eyes."

Aoi smiled. "Aw, thanks. That's so sweet of you. But I'm not very good in front of the camera." She started looking around.

"So what are you looking for set C3 for?" Mikan asked interestedly.

"Oh, I just have to deliver something to my brother. He's a model." Aoi indicated the envelope in her hand.

Mikan processed all the information in her head. _Male clothes designer…dad's company…black hair…crimson eyes…brother…he's a model… set C3…_

Mikan looked up in utter panic.

"Oh, there he is." Aoi pointed to a certain guy way over to the left.

Mikan's mouth fell open in terror. "Y-You're a H-Hyuuga?!"

Aoi circled back on Mikan. "Um, yeah. Sorry, guess I should have thrown that in there with the 'Aoi' part." She laughed.

Mikan slouched back in her chair. "How disappointing."

Aoi's head jerked forward in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

Mikan crossed her arms and mumbled, "And here I was starting to like you, thinking we could become friends but, no."

Aoi looked rather confused. "We can still be friends, Mikan."

"Ugh, no we can't. You're related to _him_."

Aoi smiled, understanding completely now. "Oh, I take it you've met my brother."

"Sadly, a bit more than just 'met'."

Aoi sat down beside Mikan now. "Oh, do tell."

Mikan rolled her eyes. "I _despise_ your brother. I hate him from the deepest, darkest cavern of my heart. If anything good ever happens to me, he is sure to be there to ruin it all!"

Aoi couldn't help but laugh. "Well that's all okay because I hate my brother, too! I mean, more in a sibling way, definitely not up to par with you, but the hatred is still there. Most of the time."

Mikan looked overjoyed. "Really? Hahahahahaha! Take that, Hyuuga! Your sister likes me better than you!" she said in Natsume's direction, but he obviously didn't hear. "Wait, you do, right?"

Aoi nodded amidst laughter.

"Ha!" Mikan looked rather triumphant from then on.

-----

"Good work today, Hyuuga!"

Natsume merely shrugged off the compliment. He grabbed his stuff and headed off the set. When he looked up from his phone, he saw Mikan talking animatedly in her chair. He rolled his eyes when he noticed to whom she was talking. It was his sister!

"Aoi!"

The black-haired girl's head whipped around. Then a huge smile formed on her face. "Natsume!"

Mikan scowled at her delight, so Aoi had to bend down and say, "This is only because I haven't seen him in two months. Otherwise I would ignore him immediately."

When Mikan nodded satisfactorily, Aoi came around and greeted her big brother with a walloping hug. But Natsume didn't look as pleased.

"What are you doing talking to that old hag?" Mikan's jaw dropped and her cheeks puffed out angrily.

"Don't call Mikan that. She's my friend." Mikan motioned her head in a circle as if saying 'Mhm.'

"What a waste of a friend." Natsume smirked.

"Natsume, you're such a jerk. But here, dad told me to give this to you." She handed him the envelope.

"Whatever. Let's go." Natsume started walking away. Aoi waved.

"Oh wait, Aoi!"

She turned back around. "Yeah?"

Mikan flashed a huge smile. "Um, I know we just met and all, and I know this is your first night back in town so you probably want to hang out with your other friends, but um…do you want to go out with me and my friend Hotaru tonight and then spend the night at my house?"

Aoi looked perplexed. "Um Mikan, aren't you like twenty-five years old?"

Mikan shrugged. "Yeah, so?"

"Well, can you even _do_ that at this age?"

Mikan laughed, as if this was the most ridiculous question she'd ever heard. "I'm Mikan Sakura. I can do whatever I want."

After standing there in silence for several seconds, Aoi answered, "I'd love to."

Acting like she knew it was a 'yes' all along, Mikan continued. "Neato. I'll pick you up at eight. And wear something nice. We're going clubbing."

Aoi smiled again. "Alrighty."

-----

_Pop._

Mikan opened the microwave and pulled out the hot bag of popcorn, pouring it into a bowl and then seasoning it with more butter and salt. After taking a handful she set it down on the carpet in front of the other two.

"Hotaru, pick a damn channel already!"

Hotaru continued to flip through, switching from one channel to another before even seeing what was on it. "No."

Mikan sat behind Aoi on the couch and started braiding her hair.

"Do you guys do this often?" Aoi asked, surprised by their teenage personalities.

"Um, every other week or so." Mikan shrugged.

"You guys are so funny. I've never heard of anyone doing this at this age."

"Well sometimes, after acting like professional grownups all day, we just feel like hanging out."

"And she has good food." Hotaru said plainly.

"That's probably why she comes." Mikan giggled.

"Well I think it's very cool nonetheless. And I really appreciate you inviting me."

"Are you kidding? I really appreciate you actually coming. You are ten times cooler than your brother."

_Ding. Dong._

Just then, the doorbell rang to Mikan's apartment flat.

"I wonder who that could be." Mikan clambered to her feet and swung open the door. Instantly her eyes met a pair of evil crimson ones.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She said venomously.

Natsume smirked and held up Aoi's large pink tote bag that she had apparently left in his car. "Well this is definitely different than the way I usually see you."

Indeed, the sight of Mikan at the moment was much different from her usual attire. Her hair was still wet from her shower and fell down her back and shoulders. Her face was one hundred percent clean of make-up, yet it still glowed brightly. She had on petite pajama shorts and an oversized hockey jersey, the drawstrings at the neckline very loose, indicating she was obviously wearing nothing underneath.

"But you, however, are not. Still a fugly son of a bitch." She tweaked out a devious smile.

"Hn. Slut."

"Twat."

"Cunt."

"Prick."

"Whore."

"Manwhore."

"Okay, let's stop with the name calling." Aoi interjected, however rather amused. "Oh, Natsume, you brought my purse. Thanks. I was gonna call you about that, but I didn't, um, have my phone."

Aoi snatched her bag away from him and watched as the two stared at each other, not speaking. "Well, you can go now."

"Yeah, Hyuuga. You can go now." Mikan smiled wickedly.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't want to spend another second in this shithole." With that he turned away and left.

Mikan slammed the door in anger. "I hate him! I hate him!"

Aoi sat back down beside Hotaru, whose eyes never left the television screen. Finally Mikan threw herself back on the couch.

"You know Mikan, Natsume likes you."

Mikan slammed the pillow on the cushion. "I know! I hate him, too-"

"Wait, what?"

Aoi talked seriously. "Natsume likes you."

Mikan sat up straight, her legs tucked beneath her. Then she flung her arms in the air again. "Don't lie to me, little girl!"

"I'm not lying."

"Well how do you know?! You just got home! You know nothing!"

A tiny grin cracked on her lips. "I can tell."

Mikan started to settle down. "How?"

"Well, I may not have been around him for two months, but I grew up with Natsume. He's not very good at telling his feelings, or showing them for that matter. But I can just tell."

Hotaru grabbed the last handful of popcorn from the bowl. "How can you tell?" She asked without interest.

"I can see it in his eyes. The way he looks at you."

"Yeah! Full of hatred and detestation!" Mikan huffed again.

"No. Full of adoration and…love."

Hotaru spat out her last popcorn kernel and Mikan toppled over the armrest; how possible, no one knew, but she did anyway.

"Are you telling me that Natsume is in love with Mikan?" Hotaru asked incredulously.

Aoi answered confidently, "Yeah."

"No way! Nuh-uh! That is stupid! That is ridiculous! That is just sick and wrong!" Mikan crawled around the couch.

"Shut up. You're having a party on the inside." Hotaru blanched.

Aoi turned to Hotaru. "What do you mean?"

"Mikan's head over heels for Hyuuga."

"Wh-what?!" Mikan turned redder than a fire truck.

"Really?" Aoi sounded excited.

"Oh my god, yes." Hotaru practically whined.

"Th-that's not true, Hotaru!" Mikan mumbled.

"Shut up. It is."

"Well it's not my fault!"

"Don't blame nature." Hotaru deadpanned.

"Mikan, that's great! You two can get together!" Aoi cheered.

"Ugh. Been there, done that." Mikan groaned.

"Huh?" Aoi titled her head.

Hotaru began telling her the entire story that she had missed due to her business trip. All the while Mikan tried to hide herself under a pile of pillows, a secretive smile lingering on her face.

-----

YAY! I LIKED THAT CHAPTER! I LOVED BRINGING IN AOI! DID YOU? PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT!

ALSO: PLEASE READ MY 'SHORT STORY' NARUMI-SENSEI'S BEACH EXTRAVAGANZA! IT WILL BE TEN CHAPTERS TOTAL, BUT THE CHAPTERS ARE VERY SHORT, SO IT WILL BARELY TAKE AWAY YOUR TIME. I THINK IT'S HILARIOUS AND IF YOU LIKE THIS STORY, YOU'LL LOVE IT! PLEASE TRY IT OUT! THANKS!


	11. Chapter 11

**Fake Love**

_Jealousy is that pain which a man feels from the apprehension that he is not equally beloved by the person whom he entirely loves._

_-Joseph Addison_

**Chapter Eleven: An Old Friend Comes to Visit**

"Come on, Sakura. Ten more!" A burly middle-aged man said with an intimidating tone.

A sweat bead trickled down Mikan's cheek and plopped on the back of her hand. She breathed deeply and lowered herself down, her nose just grazing the floor. Then she pushed herself back up, until the last ten repetitions of her workout were complete.

"Done!" She managed to muster proudly.

She took a seat on a nearby mat and guzzled down her bottle of vitamin water.

"Well done, Sakura. Exceeding expectations as usual. Good work today."

"Thanks." Mikan nearly whispered as the brawny guy patted her shoulder and then left her.

Once he was out of sight, she keeled over backward and laid flat on her back. "God, that guy's going to work me to the death."

She ran her hand over her tummy, felling the smooth material of her spandex athletic shirt.

"Tell me about it." A voice said from behind her, sounding bored.

Mikan jerked upright to see Hotaru standing there in pink sweat pants. Not a single drop of sweat could be seen on her face.

"Hotaru, did you even do anything?"

"Of course I did. I went and got a smoothie." She pulled a pink drink from behind her back and slurped the straw.

"Ugh. Well let's get out of here before he adds another fifty push-ups." Mikan grabbed a towel and wiped it over her pink face.

Mikan and Hotaru walked towards the lobby of the workout facility when all of a sudden the door swung in their faces. Two black-haired people emerged with towels wrapped over their shoulders.

"Whoa!" Mikan jumped backwards. Hotaru made a slurping noise.

"Watch where you're going-" the male started.

"Mikan! Hotaru!" the female voice interrupted him.

The two were then bombarded with a big hug from Aoi Hyuuga.

"Aoi!" Mikan responded. "Um, hi Natsume," she said nervously.

Natsume gave her a terrible look. "What the hell are you saying 'hi' for?"

Mikan titled her head while Aoi's lip quivered.

"Um. I was just trying to be friendly."

"Why?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

Mikan's mouth hung open for awhile. _I thought she said he liked me! What a liar! He doesn't like me at all! He's still the same jerk I've always hated!_

"You look like a retard with your mouth open like that."

Mikan blinked back into the present. "I am not retarded!"

Natsume shrugged with a smirk. "Could've fooled me." Then he walked into the gym.

Mikan turned on her expensive running shoe's heel to Aoi. Hotaru continued to slurp smoothie.

"I thought you said he loved me." She said through gritted teeth, as if this was all her fault.

"Mikan. I'm positive that he does! Honest. Why would I lie to you?" She writhed in discomfort beneath her gaze.

"Maybe so that I would look really stupid, like I just did!" Mikan's fists were balled.

"No! He does like you. He's probably just scared to admit his feelings. And you know, unlike you, he doesn't know that you like him back. So he thinks this is all one-sided, so that's probably why he still acts mean."

Mikan contemplated the possibilities for a second and then returned to her anger. "I don't care! I hate Natsume Hyuuga! He totally just lost his chance with me! I hate him!"

"Mikan, don't take it out on us." Hotaru said emotionlessly.

Mikan shook her head and strode through the doors in a hurry.

"Thanks Hotaru." Aoi started to relax once again.

"She's just disappointed. Don't worry. There's no way Mikan can keep this up. She has a habit of always messing things up for herself." Hotaru said reassuringly.

Aoi nodded and then Hotaru left the gym, smoothie still in hand.

-----

"What's up today, Hotaru?" Mikan walked the hallway of the studio as she did nearly every week, Hotaru following behind with her palm pilot at her attention.

"Today is the start of fall dresses."

"Fall already? That's unfortunate. Summer really is more fun."

"Whatever. Just get into wardrobe." With that, Hotaru pushed Mikan through the door.

When she came back out ten minutes later she was wearing a very simple orange dress. Basically a summer to fall transition shoot.

"Okay, let's go."

The two girls started to walk towards the set when a familiar voice stopped one of them.

"Someone looks very cute in that orange dress," it said.

Mikan's eyes bulged back into her skull and she whipped around, breaking into an immediate sprint.

"TSUBASA!!"

She latched onto the older guy, her arms nearly snapping his neck. But he hugged her right back nonetheless.

"What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Oh, I've missed you so much!"

Mikan kept hugging him, then letting him breathe for several seconds, and then hugging him again. A big smile was plastered on his face. All the while, off to the side, a frown was plastered on Natsume's.

"I wanted to surprise you, Mikan. I guess I succeeded."

"Well, yeah! God, I've missed you so much! We really must catch up." Mikan settled down and now stared up at her sempai, eyes twinkling with admiration.

"Hotaru, cancel today's shoot. I'm going out to lunch. And if my mom complains, tell her it's Tsubasa. She'll understand."

Then she hooked her arm around his and they strode out the door, Mikan still wearing the orange dress. Hotaru rolled her eyes annoyed. She walked over to the photographers.

"We don't need you today. The princess has decided to go out for some lunch. We'll reschedule for tomorrow." Then she left the camera men to pack up their stuff.

She walked over to the refreshments table and grabbed a doughnut. Suddenly, from behind, two manly arms wrapped around her middle and lips touched her neck. Hotaru wasn't the least bit surprised. Instead, she complained in a bored manner, "Please get off of me."

She could feel the face behind her smirk. "No."

Hotaru took another bite of her glazed pastry. "I told you not to come into contact with me in public, idiot."

"You like it," the voice replied, still kissing her skin.

Hotaru shrugged and took another bite. "That is true. But it still annoys the hell out of me. So unless you want to cancel our dinner plans for the rest of the week, I suggest you stop."

Immediately the arms released their hold and the lips withdrew. Ruka then stood beside her and grabbed his own doughnut.

"Thank you." Hotaru said expressionlessly, like everything else in that conversation.

"Wow. You leave the country for the summer and you just miss everything," another voice said a few steps away.

Hotaru and Ruka both looked to see Aoi, with her arms crossed and head tilted.

"Aoi! When did you get back in town?" Ruka gave her a walloping hug.

"Um, last week actually. But I can see that you had other thoughts on your mind. No worries." Aoi said happily.

Ruka laughed. "Oh yeah. Me and Hotaru. We are quite a big thing these days."

Another bite of doughnut. "No we aren't."

Aoi giggled. "Well something tells me this love is more one-sided than not."

"That's more or less not true. I just don't get obsessive about showing it to everyone." Hotaru shrugged again.

"Aw. That's my babe. See, she loves me." Ruka went over to try to kiss her once again. But Hotaru dodged and ducked to the other side of the table.

"Nuh-uh." She said and walked away, polishing off her third doughnut.

"That's so odd. You and my brother are miserable mopes with no girlfriends when I leave. And then when I return, you have soul mates." Aoi sounded disappointed at not having been there to witness it all.

Ruka laughed. "Ahaha. Natsume having a soul mate? I doubt it. I mean, I know he's like hopelessly in love with Sakura. But she hates his guts." He seemed to find his best friend's predicament quite a funny one.

"Hey. Mikan loves Natsume just as much as he loves her." Aoi rebutted, but then clasped her hands to her mouth. "I shouldn't have said that." She winced.

Ruka smiled. "Oh really? Well why don't you just tell Natsume that? I'm sure he'll stop acting like an ass and then they'll get together properly, and we'll all live happily ever after."

Aoi frowned. "Maybe I will. More help than you've been. And you call yourself his best friend."

Ruka frowned. "Well maybe _I'll_ tell him. He'd believe it coming from me. He'd think you were just meddling with his love life. And you call yourself his sister."

Aoi threw her hands in the air. "That's what little sisters do! Stupid."

"Well where is Natsume anyway?" Ruka glanced all around but couldn't find a single crowd of girls who would be ogling him anywhere.

Aoi peered around as well. "_You_ should know. And you call yourself his best friend."

"Don't start with me, Aoi!"

-----

Natsume handed the menu back to the waiter.

"I'll put your order in now, sir."

Natsume nodded and leaned back in the chair on the patio. He rolled his head around, cracking his neck. Then he listened carefully through one ear.

"So, you're almost thirty. I feel so special being with an older guy."

"Yeah. I've gotten tired being with all those older girls. I thought I'd come back down to your age group and try things out."

Laughter.

"I really have missed you, Tsubasa. I can't believe you've left me alone for so long."

"I know, I'm sorry. But being a businessman isn't easy. I don't always have time for our games."

"Oh come on. Like you're really that busy. All you have to do is stop by my place. It would only take about five minutes and I'm always available for you."

More laughter.

Natsume's hands curled up into balls in his pockets.

"I know. You really are the only one I can do it with. Misaki has gotten too slow. She's no fun anymore."

"Oh yes! Misaki! How is she?"

"Ah. Boring as ever. You are much more fun, Mikan. She doesn't even know I'm here with you now."

"What did you tell her?"

"I said I had a meeting at the office. She'd kill me if she knew I was here without her. She doesn't like being left out, you know."

More laughter.

Natsume repositioned himself in his chair and fought hard to restrain himself.

"Well do you want to head back to my place and get it over with?"

"We are quite overdue, aren't we? I say let's go right now."

The two at the table behind Natsume rose to their feet and left the patio. He threw down a one hundred dollar bill, mere pocket change, and sprinted after them.

"Mikan, I'll go get my car." Tsubasa said as he headed out the door to the parking lot.

Mikan stood on the front steps to the restaurant, waiting for his return. Suddenly a menacing voice yelled at her from behind.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Mikan turned to see Natsume glaring intently at her.

"What the hell is wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you even here?"

Natsume didn't answer her question. "You think you're cool, hanging out with an older guy?!"

"Um, I can do whatever I damn well please, thank you. Why the hell do you care?" She was starting to get increasingly angry.

"So I have Luna, who I know gets you really mad! But you think you can just go get an older guy and rub him in my face?!"

Mikan was confused but didn't dare drop her guard. "I didn't rub him in your face! I just came to have lunch with him! You weren't even involved! What, did you follow me or something?! Are you jealous?!"

Natsume smirked but kept his voice volume high. "Never in hell would I be jealous of a guy who's with you! You just think you're so much better than me, don't you?!"

"What the hell are you trying to say?! You weren't even supposed to be here! I don't even know how or why you think this concerns you!"

"You know what I'm trying to say?! I'm trying to say that you, Mikan Sakura, are a bitch! A cold-hearted, sleazy bitch!!"

Mikan's face contorted into a horrified expression. "What?! Then you, Natsume Hyuuga, are an idiotic asshole who's oblivious to the obvious!!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"What the hell are _you_ talking about?!"

"I'm talking about how much I hate you!!"

A small tear formed in Mikan's eye. "Well fine! It's always been like that, hasn't it?! What's changed?! I hate you, too!!"

Tsubasa poked his out the window of his Mercedes. "Time to go, Mik- Whoa, is something wrong?"

Mikan stomped down the stairs. "Nothing is wrong at all!! I just hate Natsume Hyuuga!! What's new?!"

She slammed the door as she got in and Tsubasa sped off in panic of what else to do. Natsume plopped down on the stairs and covered his face in his hands.

_I loved her with all my heart, and what does she do? She betrays me and goes off with some older guy. So what if I'm jealous? She is causing me great pain. But she is not worth this agony. No one is worth this agony._

If only he knew.

-----

FAST UPDATE! HAHA! BUT I'M TRYING TO FINISH IT BEFORE I GO BACK TO SCHOOL WHICH IS NEXT TUSEDAY. SO GOOD OR BAD CHAPTER? I KNOW THERE WASN'T MUCH OF TSUBASA, BUT HE IS COMING BACK IN THE NEXT (LAST) CHAPTER. PLEASE REVIEW!! BY THE WAY, YES I KNOW, THEIR ARGUMENT WAS COMPLETELY POINTLESS AND STUPID, AND REALLY POORLY WRITTEN ON MY PART, BUT HONESTLY I JUST NEEDED THEM TO FIGHT BECAUSE IT SETS UP SO MUCH BETTER FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER THAN IF THEY HADN'T. SO PLEASE DON'T REVIEW AND COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW CONFUSING OR DUMB THAT PART WAS. BELIEVE ME, IT REALLY WAS NECESSARY. BUT PLEASE, ONLY ONE CHAPTER LEFT, SO PLEASE REVIEW!!

AND ALSO, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU'D READ MY OTHER STORY: NARUMI-SENSEI'S BEACH EXTRAVAGANZA! IT'S REALLY GOOD AND A QUICK READ. I UPDATE IT DAILY. THANKS!


	12. Chapter 12

**Fake Love**

_A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous._

_-Ingrid Bergman_

**Chapter Twelve: The Unintentional Reunion**

Like every working Monday, Natsume woke up rather resistant. But when he did finally pull a shirt over his messy yet gorgeous black-haired head, he made his way across his luxurious abode to the kitchen where he gargled down the reminder of his gallon of milk. After eating several muffins from a gift basket, given to him by an adoring photographer, he retreated to the comfort of his red couch and booted up the XBOX 360.

Suddenly another figure entered the house, keys jingling out of the door lock, and plopped down beside him. It was none other than Ruka.

"Hey. So I know you're all down in the dumps because you're a loud-mouth dick, but you really do have to come to work today. Since you missed all last week."

"Hn" was his only reply.

"Look, I'm not gonna drag you down to the studio. But I think you should really come today. I have a feeling it will be a good day for you."

"Hn" again.

Ruka stood up and headed back to the door. "Okay, I'll see you at one."

The front door clanged closed. Natsume sat in peaceful silence as he slaughtered, assassinated, and exterminated soldier after soldier in Call of Duty. His mood was uninterrupted until the door swung open again.

"Hey baby-cakes."

Luna waltzed in with a key he must have given to her by accident and fell into his lap. She wore a very low-cut t-shirt and tight jeans. Natsume had a feeling that talking wasn't the only thing on her mind.

Nonetheless, he managed to hold the controller up and continue playing his game.

"So…what do you want to do today?" As she spoke, she walked her fingers up his chest.

"Hn." A blunt response.

"Natsume, darling, I think we should do something extra special today." She moved her mouth up to his ear and whispered, "Because it's my birthday."

"Hn." Emotionless as always.

Luna sat up with her arms crossed. "What is wrong with you today?"

For the first time since he had started, Natsume paused the game and looked away from the television screen, putting the controller down.

"Where's my key?"

Luna smiled and held up his house key between her freshly manicured fingers. Without a second thought, he tore it from her grasp and placed it in his pocket. Luna raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Aw. I see how it is. You're taking my key away because you want to lock me in here as your slave forever. That's fine, master." She started to wrap her arms around his neck. "Do whatever you want to me."

Then Natsume stood up, causing Luna to plummet to the floor. He walked over to his jacket and pulled it over his arms. Then he grabbed his real keys and opened the front door.

"I'm going to work. I better not find you still in my house when I return."

Luna looked confused. "But it's my birthday. I thought we could spend it romantically together."

Natsume shook his head with a smirk. "I guess you must be really stupid. But I'll say it in easy words so there are no misunderstandings: I'm dumping you right now. I don't love you, never have actually, and I hope to never see you again."

Then he slammed the door closed, leaving Luna with angry tears pouring down her face.

"Natsume Hyuuga, I hate you!!!"

As he walked to his flaming red sports car he muttered to himself, "I'm so glad to hear you say that."

-----

"Why am I here again?" Natsume was finally back to his rude talking.

Ruka smiled. "Wow. You're here early. Good thing, too. You're gonna need some time to stomach what I'm about to tell you."

Natsume didn't look at him; instead his eyes wandered to where Hotaru was saying something to Mikan.

"Um. Well, don't yell at me. I'm just the messenger here. This was definitely not my idea, but-"

"Just get to it!" Natsume demanded.

"You're modeling with Sakura today." Ruka spat out quickly.

Natsume looked up, his eyes full of anger. Then he shot another glance at Mikan, who now stared at him with hatred-filled eyes.

They both stormed away, yelling curse words of all sorts at their managers, at the ceiling, at innocent people passing by.

Natsume finally took a seat in his dressing room. He had kicked Ruka out half an hour ago.

_Why is fate so cruel? Or is it only like that for me? What did I do to deserve this? Was it because I dumped Luna? I did her a favor. Was it because I secretly wished Aoi had stayed in London for another month? She's my sister; I'm not supposed to want her around. Was it because I almost ran over that cat with my car? That was totally an accident._

"Hey, Hyuuga."

Natsume jerked his head around abruptly to see Tsubasa standing in the doorway.

"What the hell do you want? Who are you anyway?" His tone was anything but nice.

"Tsubasa Andou. I'm a friend of Mikan's."

"Yeah, I got that. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I just had to say a few things."

"Yeah, well you'd better talk fast. I tend to lose interest in what other people have to say."

"You hurt Mikan."

Natsume raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Mikan is a very close friend. I care about her a lot."

"I can tell." Natsume threw in.

"I don't know what your past relations with her are and I don't know what you said to her at the restaurant, but whatever it was you really hurt her."

"You don't know? I'd think she would tell you everything." He folded his arms angrily.

Tsubasa's hands resided in his pockets and he shrugged. "She wouldn't say a word. I tried to ask what happened but she wouldn't tell me."

"Tch." Natsume smirked.

"Well whatever it was between you, it really upset her. And I will not just stand off to the side and watch her get offended by you. So I'm warning you." Tsubasa brought his face close to Natsume's, his height a tad taller than his. "If you do anything stupid, I'll know. And you won't get away with it."

Their eyes were locked on each other's, murderous intent inside the both of them.

"Natsume, they're ready for-oh, sorry."

Ruka stopped short when he saw the two males before him having a stare off.

"I'm coming right now," Natsume said, giving Tsubasa one last glare.

-----

"Mr. Hyuuga and Ms. Sakura. It's been too long." The jolly photographer from their very first shoot together said.

Mikan stood a far distance from Natsume. "Hi. Yeah, apparently no one tells me anything anymore. What exactly are we doing this shoot for? I don't recall having any ties to Hyuuga Corp. anymore."

The photographer clapped his hands together. "Well, this is going to be rather juicy shoot actually."

Hotaru flipped open a folder, which she had tucked under her arm. "Sakura Industries has come up with its first ever fragrance line. However, the CEO thought it would sell more if it had a partner line for the male gender. Hence, Hyuuga Corporation was the chosen company to have a partnership with in this new business line."

Mikan rolled her eyes. "Great, mom, great. Well how are we supposed to model a scent?" She asked smart-alecky.

"Obviously you know nothing." Natsume cut in rudely. "The purpose of a fragrance is to attract a mate. Why would someone want to attract a mate? Of course, for the purpose of sleeping with and all that other crap. So if you want to sell a fragrance, you are basically, selling sex. So for a photo shoot advertising a fragrance, the models would basically have to imply sex. Or something of the sort."

Mikan's mouth dangled open. "How is it he knows everything?" She whispered to Hotaru.

The photographer clapped his hands together again. "Shall we get started?"

"But we haven't even gotten into wardrobe yet." Mikan hammered once more.

Natsume, still wearing his clothes from that morning, started pulling his t-shirt off over his head. "You don't need clothes, idiot."

Mikan's hands instantly jolted up to her cheeks. "W-what?"

Natsume threw his t-shirt on a chair and walked away, displaying only his jeans and pare of pretty pecks.

"Hotaru, there is no way I'm gonna take any my clothes off around the likes of him!"

Hotaru shrugged, bored as ever. "Fine; don't. You'll just be ridiculed by him for it forever."

Mikan whined. "Well, it's not like I'm embarrassed about my body, because we all _know_ I have a great body." Hotaru rolled her eyes. "I just don't see why _he_ should be so rewarded."

"Mikan, shut up. You've modeled lingerie before. Either do it or don't."

Mikan whined some more until she finally pulled her own t-shirt over her head. She also was still wearing jeans, but the shoot was waist upward so it didn't matter. "Do we have to actually wear the fragrance?"

"No. People just think you are in the photo." Hotaru said then pushed her away.

After being spritzed with the usual fake tan, Mikan and Natsume went over to the set, which was just a black backdrop. The lights were very dark, so their skin glistened brightly.

"Hold on one second." The photographer said, setting up his camera.

Natsume looked at Mikan. She was sparkling elegantly, her hair messily thrown in front of her shoulder. Her tiny but muscular tummy was obviously showing, since she had on only her black bra. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Though he couldn't be madder at her at that moment, he could only think one word: _beautiful._

When he turned away, Mikan looked at Natsume. He, too, glowed vibrantly, his untidy raven hair in perfect placement. His strong, toned chest was a sight she hadn't had the pleasure of seeing in quite awhile. She couldn't take her eyes off him. Though _she_ couldn't be madder at _him_ at that moment, she could only think one word: _gorgeous._

"Okay, let's see what you can do." The photographer crouched down, ready to snapshot.

Mikan turned around and Natsume walked behind her. Then he wrapped his arms around her, clasping on hand at his other wrist just over her breasts. He lowered his head until his mouth grazed the curve of her shoulder blade and neck. Mikan moved one arm so that it cradled the back of Natsume's head and the other arm was bent backwards over his shoulder, hanging lazily. She titled her head upward, for once not staring at the camera. It was too much for her to handle.

"Amazing! I love it!" And the blinding camera started off.

_I hate him but I can't help it. This feels so good. This seems so right. I want to stay like this forever._

_I hate her but I can't help it. This feels so good. This seems so right. I want to stay like this forever._

"That's a wrap! Outta frames!" the photographer made off with his camera as the agents made off for the refreshment table. Everyone had left, but the two couldn't move.

Natsume kept his lips attached to her soft skin. Mikan kept her tight hold on his head. Even the lights had turned back all the way on, but they didn't move. They couldn't move. They wouldn't move.

_I don't want this feeling to ever end. I guess then, no matter what, I love hi-wait!_

Finally Mikan pulled away. "That was a very good shoot. I have to admit, you are the best model I've ever worked with. But I'd appreciate it if you'd let go now."

Then she stepped away, grabbed her t-shirt, and headed for her dressing room as she slid it back over her head and pulled her hair into a messy ponytail; quite different from her usual look.

Natsume stood there, but suddenly ran after her. He walked into her dressing room, not bothering to close the door.

"Wait."

"Excuse me?" Mikan was digging through some bag of hers but stood up straight when she heard him speak.

Natsume, accidentally yet perfectly still shirtless, walked up to her. "I love you."

Mikan's eyes widened and her mouth fell open, but her wits came back to her and she responded sternly, "I'm sorry but it's a little late for that."

Natsume shook his head. "I know I've been a total ass. But I really do love you."

Mikan looked away. "So I've been told. But you already have Luna-"

"I dumped her." He said plainly. "I never liked her anyway. I only used her to make you jealous."

"Well I-what?" Mikan looked surprised, as if this was a total shocker. "You made me go through hell by having to deal with that bitch just so I'd be jealous?!"

Natsume smirked. "Well you went out to lunch with that Andou freak!"

"He happens to be an old friend of mine."

"What about all that stuff you two said? 'All you have to do is stop by my place. It would only take about five minutes and I'm always available for you' and 'You really are the only one I can do it with. Misaki has gotten too slow. She's no fun anymore'?" Natsume was angry again.

But Mikan looked confused. "Yeah. We were talking about Super Smash Bros. We happen to have a long-time rivalry."

Natsume was stunned. "Oh."

"And I wasn't trying to make you jealous!"

"Yeah, well you did."

Mikan tilted her head. "Really?"

Natsume smirked. "Duh. I just said I love you!"

Mikan started to look uneasy. "Yeah, but you were mean to me. Like, really really mean. I can't just forgive you."

He rolled his eyes. "Come on. What more can I do?"

Mikan started to ramble. "I don't know! Disappear off the face of the earth? Go jump off a cliff? Throw yourself into a burning pit of fire? I've already convinced myself: I hate you."

"You don't mean that."

"Oh, I've never meant anything so seriously in my life! I hated you yesterday. I hate you today. I will hate you tomorrow. I will hate you next year. I will hate you forever and ever and ever and ev-"

Before she could complete her redundant tirade, Natsume kissed her.

It wasn't the first time he had. No, there was the time at their very first meeting when they kissed beneath the falling rain. And there was the time they pretended to be a couple when they kissed for the press just before the media awards. So no, this was not the first encounter between their lips. But this was definitely the first time it felt so good.

Mikan immediately shut her eyes and threw her arms around his neck and Natsume tossed his arms around her waist. For once, they did not want it to end. So it didn't for quite some time.

It was as if nothing bad had ever occurred between them; like they had been secret lovers all this time.

When they did part, Mikan whispered with tears in her eyes, "I love you, too. I always have."

Natsume's expression wasn't a tad bit surprised. "Tch. I've always known that."

Mikan titled her head. "What? Nuh-uh."

Natsume nodded his head. "No really, I have. You were just so slow minded, there was nothing I could do about it."

Mikan frowned. "I am not slow-minded. You're such a cold-hearted jerk."

Natsume smirked. "At least I'm not a cow."

Before she could retort, he kissed her once again.

_Fin_

-----

WAHOO! IT'S OVER AND DONE WITH! FINALLY. I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED MY STORY AND L IKED THE ENDING. I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY GOOD. ANYWAY, PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME HOW I DID. ALSO, IF I GET ENOUGH REVIEWS REQUESTING IT, I'LL WRITE A LITTLE EPILOGUE. OKAY, SO NOW THAT THIS IS DONE, PLEASE READ MY OTHER STORY! THANKS AGAIN AND I'LL 'SEE' YOU WHEN I 'SEE' YOU!

Sweetest Wishes

August 27, 2009, 8:31 PM


	13. Epilogue

**Fake Love**

_Parenthood: That state of being better chaperoned than you were before marriage. _

_-Marcelene Cox_

**Epilogue**

Natsume placed his coffee mug on the kitchen table, the steam still rising above the rim. He was listening to his ever-present best friend tell the story of how he got kicked out of the house that morning.

Ruka was in between laughs. "So then I figured I'd just stop by your place. Never a dull moment over here."

Just then Mikan entered the kitchen arch way, a black bed sheet was all that wrapped around her body, just barely covering her entire breasts. Her hair was tossed across her shoulders and down her back. She made soft footsteps over to Natsume, where she kissed him on the lips.

"Good morning," she said, her tone very sweet.

Natsume willingly accepted her kiss. "Morning, babe."

Ruka scoffed over in the corner, obviously aware of what must have gone on the night before. Mikan turned her head at the sound and frowned at his appearance.

"Oh. Ruka. If I had known you were here, I would have put some clothes on."

Ruka smiled. "Don't mind me."

So Mikan walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a mug, using only one arm to tightly uphold the wrapped sheet.

In another room, a faint cry was suddenly heard. Mikan rolled her head around on her neck to face Natsume with an annoyed expression. He only shrugged. A staring contest followed, which lasted for quite some time before Mikan hammered her mug onto the marble countertop and strode out of the kitchen abruptly.

"Sorry, bud. I didn't know I was interrupting anything. You should have said something." Ruka flipped his bangs out of his eyes.

Natsume didn't respond.

Finally Mikan came back, a tad different from before. Her hair still hung loose but she was now wearing a green tank top, petite pajama shorts, chocolate colored Ugg boots, and a two year old boy on her hip. She started up the stove and got out some eggs.

"How's Hotaru? I suspect you did something stupid, otherwise you wouldn't be intruding on my Monday morning." Mikan said gruffly, never looking away from her frying pan.

"Oh. She's great. Superb. Fantastic in fact. She's just gets so easily angered that it's hard to please such a difficult woman."

Mikan turned around quickly, the spatula held at the ready in her hand. Ruka held up his hands in apology.

"All I said was that I couldn't take Usagi (usagi means 'rabbit' and Ruka loves rabbits! Im so smart) to the zoo today like I said I would, and she started going off about how I'm not part of the family."

Mikan shrugged. "Maybe you shouldn't make promises you don't intend to keep. But then again, what kind of father would that make you?"

Just then a four year old girl appeared in the doorframe, holding a big blankie up to her mouth. She had vibrant crimson eyes and wavy brown hair, resembling her parents' traits. "Mommy…"

She waddled over and straddled her mother's leg uncomfortably.

"Whatever it is, baby, tell your father." Mikan was just flipping the sunny side up eggs onto a plate, still balancing the boy on her hip.

So the little girl drowsily pranced over to Natsume, who picked her up with ease and propped her in his lap.

"Daddy…"

Natsume took a sip of his coffee. "What?"

The little girl rubbed her tired eyes. "I had a bad dweam last night."

"What happened?"

"Well everyone was in their wooms and I was sleeping. But then I heard this loud banging from your woom and mommy was yelling out your name."

Ruka laughed aloud from across the kitchen.

"Were you getting hurt?" She asked worriedly.

Natsume smirked and shook his head. "No, we weren't getting hurt. See, actually, we were-"

"She doesn't need to know!" Mikan interjected before he could say another word. "Emi, your eggs are ready so sit in your own chair like a big girl."

Emi hopped into her own chair right next to her daddy's and Mikan placed the plate of eggs and a sippy cup of juice on the table. She started eating immediately, her tiny mind already of the subject.

Mikan then placed the boy in his high chair. He had black messy hair like his father and big brown eyes like his mom. He guzzled down the milk in his own sippy cup. Mikan kissed him on the forehead and sat down beside him, pouring herself some cereal.

"Babe, I have a photo shoot at three. Any chance I can drop these two off with you? I really don't want to take them to day care today."

Natsume shrugged. "What, you think I can just take a break from work whenever I want to?"

"Um, yes. As my CEO partner, I say you can."

It had been five years since Natsume confessed to Mikan. Since then, they had both assumed the position of CEO of their own companies. When they married, they fused their businesses to be Hyuuga & Sakura, the number one leading clothing line in Tokyo. Mikan kept her surname for business purposes but she went by Mrs. Hyuuga around the house. And Hotaru and Ruka, as they were no longer needed as agents, became members of the company's board staff; a very prestigious place to be.

"I mean I'll be with them all morning." Mikan spoke in between bites of cheerios. "And then I'll take them after my shoot. I just don't want Thing 1 and Thing 2 running amuck around the studio again."

Natsume nodded. "Whatever. I'm gonna go get dressed." He stood up and kissed her forehead. "Ruka, you can leave now."

Ruka smiled. "What for? I'm all ready for work. I can just go with you. Then when I walk in the building with the big man, everybody might think we're friends or something." He pretended to squeal excitedly.

"Shut up." Natsume left the room.

Mikan rolled her eyes. "Great. Now _I'm_ stuck with you."

"You're a real pleasure to be around, too."

Emi stood up in her chair, having cleaned her entire plate. "Where's Usagi?" She had her hands on her hips.

Ruka put his hands up in the air. "She's gone. Forever. Yep, sorry. You just missed her."

Emi stamped her bare foot on the chair, ruffling her short-sleeved nightie.

"Do you want me to take Usagi today? You have some sort of meeting that I don't want to attend, right?" Mikan asked with a bored voice.

"That would be great. Let me call Hotaru." Ruka left the room dialing his wife on his phone.

Mikan picked up all the dishes and stacked them in the sink. Then she picked up the little boy, placing him on her hip once again, and she helped Emi hop to the ground. The four year old started to pull her nightie off over her head as they made their way to her bedroom. "Woo hoo!"

Mikan rolled her eyes at this wild behavior. It was too much for her so early in the morning.

-----

"Let's race!" Emi was nearly bouncing off the walls of the elevator shaft. Usagi Nogi was jumping around as well.

"Girls, please no run-" Mikan tried to say but as soon as the elevator doors opened to the top floor they sprinted down the long hallway. Mikan sighed deeply as she followed after them, her hand tightly gripping her son's.

Mikan Sakura

Co-CEO of Hyuuga & Sakura

Mikan stepped into her own lavish office for a quick second, flipping through any important mail but ultimately deciding to leave it be. Then she continued to an almost identical office.

Natsume Hyuuga

Co-CEO of Hyuuga & Sakura

Inside, Emi was already click-clacking away on her father's computer. Usagi was cradled in her own dad's arms, Ruka must have been having a conference of some sort. Mikan walked over and handed her son over to Natsume, pecking his lips. Then she practically threw herself down onto a black leather couch.

"Were they a handful?"

Mikan smiled fakely. "You think? Ichiro tried to look up a girl's skirt at the park."

Natsume patted his two year old son. "That's my boy."

"Well, I have to get down to the studio. I'll see you later, okay?" Mikan kissed him on the cheek and headed for the door.

-----

"All done, Ms. Sakura." A make-up artist declared. Mikan glanced at herself once more in the mirror and left the dressing room satisfied.

When she came out, she saw a familiar figure standing off to the side. She walked up to him with a superior smile.

"What, may I ask, is my business partner doing down here, at a mere photo shoot studio?"

Natsume shrugged, folding his arms. "I don't know. I heard that _my_ business partner was doing a shoot today. And she supposedly has a very nice body, so I thought I'd come see for myself."

Mikan did a twirl, showcasing her outfit. "Well what do you think?" She was wearing a black business suit, designed by Aoi who became one of the company's top male and female designers, with black stilettos. Her hair was done into brown bouncy curls, a very serious look. But to top it all off, she was wearing nothing underneath the suit jacket. A single button prevented her entire chest from showing.

Natsume smirked. "I think I was right to come down here and check you out."

He grabbed her by the waist and brought her body very close to his. She put her arms around his neck, just as he moved one hand to her stomach, slowly bringing it up higher on her bare skin. Their lips were centimeters apart until they heard a sudden: "Hello!"

Their heads jerked downward to see Ichiro, waving his hand wildly, his eyes big and round.

"I knew this was too perfect." Mikan rolled her eyes and then swooped the little boy into her arms. "Where's the other one?"

Natsume's hands retreated to his pockets. He didn't answer.

Finally Mikan spotted Emi and Usagi at the refreshments table, eating all the doughnuts.

"I told you I didn't want them running around here. That's why I gave them to you." Mikan spoke sternly.

Emi turned around, her cheeks puffed out with food in her mouth, and spotted her mother. She ran over immediately and nearly tackled her in a hug. "Mommy!"

Mikan half-smiled, very annoyed. "Hi, baby."

"Mommy?"

"What?"

"Why don't you have a shirt on?" The little girl tilted her head. Usagi, who barely spoke, mimicked her head tilt.

Mikan looked down at her chest. "Because this is what I'm modeling today. Remember I told you how I wear clothes and then take pictures in them? That's what I'm doing today."

"Oh! But who would want to wear clothes without a shirt?"

Mikan switched Ichiro from one arm to the other. "Um, well, you'd be surprised."

"Ms. Sakura! Ready on set!"

"Okay, mommy has to go work now." Mikan lowered Ichiro to the floor. "Please don't break anything today."

Then she ran off for her shoot.

Mikan was posing for the pictures for awhile but suddenly she stood up.

"I'm sorry. Normally I can do my own shoots. But this just isn't working. I'll be right back."

Since she was co-owner of this company, there were no arguments. Mikan ran over to Natsume, who was talking to some people about magazine photo choices. She whispered something in his ear and then grabbed his hand. She came back to the set, having pulled Natsume along with her.

"Okay. I think we're ready now."

Mikan stood staggered in front of her husband, so that his own black business suit could still be seen. He placed his hand on her waist and she bent her head backwards over her shoulder where their lips met. Of course, one of the primary focuses of the shot was Mikan's jacket with her glowing skin underneath.

"Much better!" A photographer yelled as he snapped away.

It had been awhile since Natsume had modeled, having mostly given that part of the job up when he assumed his father's position. But Mikan left most of the sales and 'work' work to him, much preferring to continue modeling. However, when it was necessary, Natsume would join his wife for a shoot because it was written in her contract that she couldn't model with any male but him.

Just then a huge BANG echoed around the studio. Mikan and Natsume both broke away to glance in the direction of the thundering clatter. From all the way across the studio, two little girls meekly waved their hands, a little boy waving his more frantically, obviously unsure of what had just happened.

A huge pole that was leaning up against the wall, unused at the moment, had keeled over onto the cement flooring. Thankfully, nothing else had broken or fallen.

"We're done here," Mikan said sternly then she strode over angrily to her children.

Natsume smirked. It was fun to see his wife flustered.

-----

Mikan pulled a pink short nightgown over her head, the silk rolling down her bare body. Then she shook out her hair, washed her face and ambled into her beautiful black bed with red embroidery. She tossed her head lazily against the pillow and wrapped herself beneath the warm covers.

Natsume came into the bedroom with only red flannel pajama pants, carrying a glass of water. Mikan reached out for the glass and he let her take a sip. However, she swigged the entire glass down and smiled brightly. He rolled his eyes and slammed the glass on the dresser before climbing in beside her.

"I had lots of fun today. I miss you down in the studio." Mikan said cutely, almost her entire face covered by sheets.

"Hn."

"Fine. Don't care about me." She rolled over so that her back faced him.

Suddenly she started giggling, due to two arms ensnaring her body and warm lips grazing her ear.

"Stop, I'm mad at you now." She tried to make him let go, but she was very weak compared to him.

Her struggling only made Natsume pull her closer, so that his lips rested on the back of her neck, causing chills to shoot down her spine.

Finally she turned back around to face him, when a hiccup from the door interrupted them. Natsume smashed his head back into his pillow and Mikan begrudgingly looked over in the hiccup's direction.

Instantly she saw Emi, her blankie tossed over her shoulder and her thumb stuck in her mouth.

"What do you want, baby?" Mikan moaned.

"I can't sleep. Can I sleep wiff you?"

Natsume buried his head beneath the stack of covers while Mikan held out her arm with uneager welcome. Emi ran over to the bed and climbed up, crawling right in between her parents. Mikan threw the covers over the tiny body of her daughter and shared her pillow. Then she placed her arm protectively over Emi and closed her eyes.

Natsume wasn't so peaceful and turned his back on the girls.

"Natsume, turn off the light."

"Yeah, daddy. Some of us are twying to sleep here."

Mikan laughed at Emi's command, but Natsume only growled and rolled over to turn off the lamp.

"Night mommy! Night daddy!"

"Good night baby doll."

"Just go to sleep, little girl."

"Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite!" Emi continued.

"Shut up!" Natsume yelled.

Mikan laughed but the little girl in between them became stiff as a board.

_Fin_

(For Real)

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THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO READ MY ENTIRE STORY AND REVIEWED! MUCH APPRECIATED, HONESTLY. I'M GLAD YOU ALL LIKED BECAUSE I REALLY DID, BUT IT IS OFFICIALLY OVER NOW. LIKE SERIOUSLY, IT'S ALL DONE. SO PLEASE DON'T ASK. I START SCHOOL TOMORROW AND SO I'LL BE AWAY FROM THE INTERNET FOR AWHILE, BUT I'M SURE I'LL RETURN EVENTUALLY. THANKS AGAIN!

Sweetest Wishes

August 31, 2009/1:02 PM


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